Cost-Outcome Descriptive Study for Mobile App (UPSCALER) in the Rehabilitation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries After Reconstructive Surgery

TL;DR

A new smartphone app called UPSCALER helps improve recovery after ACL surgery by guiding patients through rehabilitation, potentially offering better outcomes and cost savings.

Contribution

The study introduces UPSCALER, a mobile app that delivers personalized rehabilitation protocols for ACL patients, showing improved outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Findings

Patients using UPSCALER showed improved KOOS subscale scores after rehabilitation.

The app's accessibility likely increased adherence to the rehabilitation protocol.

The study suggests the app could be a cost-effective alternative to traditional rehabilitation methods.

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are a significant concern in athletes, often leading to long-term complications and reduced quality of life. Despite advancements in surgical techniques, outcomes following ACL reconstruction remain suboptimal, largely due to poor adherence to postoperative rehabilitation. This study introduces a novel postoperative rehabilitation approach utilizing a smartphone application, UPSCALER, developed by the Universiti Putra Malaysia Sports Injury and Arthroscopic Surgery Center of Excellence. The application delivers a validated accelerated rehabilitation protocol through instructional videos tailored to each patient's recovery phase. Results from the study demonstrate promising outcomes, including improvements in Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscales post-rehabilitation, potentially attributed to increased adherence facilitated by the application's accessibility. Furthermore, the study explores the cost-effectiveness of this approach compared to conventional methods. In conclusion, smartphone application-guided rehabilitation shows promise in improving ACL reconstruction outcomes, warranting further research to validate its effectiveness and long-term impact on patient recovery and healthcare costs.

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