@Article{info:doi/10.2196/67846,
author="Zhang, Lu
and Ge, Ying
and Zhao, Wowa
and Shu, Xuan
and Kang, Lin
and Wang, Qiumei
and Liu, Ying",
title="A 4-Week Mobile App--Based Telerehabilitation Program vs Conventional In-Person Rehabilitation in Older Adults With Sarcopenia: Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2025",
month="Jan",
day="24",
volume="27",
pages="e67846",
keywords="telerehabilitation; elderly; sarcopenia; resistance exercise; rehabilitation; gerontology; aging; randomized controlled trial; rehabilitation training; body composition; strength; balance; cardiorespiratory endurance; self-care; physical therapy",
abstract="Background: Sarcopenia is closely associated with a poor quality of life and mortality, and its prevention and treatment represent a critical area of research. Resistance training is an effective treatment for older adults with sarcopenia. However, they often face challenges when receiving traditional rehabilitation treatments at hospitals. Objective: We aimed to compare the effects of a digital rehabilitation program with those of traditional therapist-supervised rehabilitation training on older adults with sarcopenia. Methods: In total, 58 older adults with sarcopenia were recruited offline and randomized (1:1) into 2 groups: the telerehabilitation group (TRG, n=29, 50{\%}) and the in-person rehabilitation group (IRG, n=29, 50{\%}). Both groups underwent 4-week resistance training targeting 6 major muscle groups. The TRG received exercise guidance via a mobile app, while the IRG received in-person training from a therapist. Offline assessments of body composition, grip strength, and balance using the 30-Second Arm Curl Test (30SACT), 30-Second Sitting-to-Rising Test (30SSRT), quadriceps femoris extension peak torque (EPT) and extension total power (ETP), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale, were conducted before and after the intervention. Results: Of the 58 patients, 51 (88{\%}; TRG: n=24, 47{\%}; IRG: n=27, 53{\%}) completed the trial. After 4 weeks of intervention, the mean grip strength increased from 18.10 (SD 5.56) to 19.92 (SD 5.90) kg in the TRG (P=.02) and from 18.59 (SD 5.95) to 19.59 (SD 6.11) kg in the IRG (P=.01). The 30SACT and 30SSRT scores increased from 12.48 (SD 2.68) to 14.94 (SD 3.68) times (P=.01) and from 15.16 (SD 7.23) to 16.58 (SD 8.42) times (P=.045), respectively, in the TRG and from 12.25 (SD 4.19) to 14.68 (SD 4.36) times (P=.003) and from 14.31 (SD 4.04) to 16.25 (SD 4.91) times (P=.01), respectively, in the IRG. The quadriceps femoris EPT increased from 26.19 (SD 10.26) to 35.00 (SD 13.74) Nm (P=.004) in the TRG and from 26.95 (SD 11.81) to 32.74 (SD 12.33) Nm (P=.003) in the IRG. The BBS scores significantly improved in both groups (P<.001), with the mean TRG score increasing by 3.19 (SD 2.86) points and the mean IRG score by 3.06 (SD 2.44) points. Neither group exhibited significant within-group changes on the TUGT or the 6MWT. Both groups reported significant improvements in the IADL (TRG: P=.04; IRG: P=.02). Between-group comparisons revealed no significant differences in changes in all indicators. Conclusions: A 4-week remote resistance training program is effective in improving strength, balance, and the IADL in older adults with sarcopenia, with effects comparable to rehabilitation supervised by a physical therapist. Telerehabilitation may be a convenient and effective alternative for older adults with sarcopenia who have limited access to rehabilitation resources. Trial Registration: ChiCTR 2300071648; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=196313 ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/67846",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e67846",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/67846"
}