Table 1 Characteristics of included RCT’s
Author (year) | Population | Group characteristics, sample size; n, male; n(%), age; mean ±SD | Setting | Intervention | Control | PA outcome measure(s)a | PF performance-based outcome measure(s)a | PF patient reported outcome measurea | Short conclusion | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Descriptive | duration | Coaching by a health professional | Theory used | Type of activity tracker | |||||||||
Atkins (2019) [57] | Patients with lower initial function independence measure scores and longer anticipated length of stay. | Intervention: n = 39, 20 (51), 74 ± 17 Control: n = 39, 12 (31), 78 ± 18 | During inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + pedometer with feedback on step count | 1 month* | No | NA | Yamax Digiwalker SW200 pedometer | Usual care + pedometer without feedback on step count. | aSteps/day (D) Daily upright time | aMorton mobility index (DEMMI) (P) | NA | Pedometers without targets do not improve functional mobility |
Brandes (2018) [46] | Patients after primary, unilateral joint replacement due to knee or hip osteoarthritis | Intervention: n = 23, 11 (48), 71 ± NA Control: n = 26, 12 (46), 70 ± NA | During inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + activity tracker with physical activity counselling with tailored approach by adding +5% in daily steps compared to the previous days | 3 weeks* | Yes (RL) | NA | Step Activity Monitor 3.0 | Usual care | aSteps/day a(P, FU) Active minutes/day Inactive time | NA | aOxford hip/knee score (P, FU) | PA counselling during inpatient rehabilitation did not improve PA or functional outcomes |
Christiansen (2020) [49] | Patients after a unilateral total knee replacement | Intervention: n=20, 12 (60), 66.5 ± 6.9 Control: n=23, 8 (35), 67.5 ± 7.2 | After hospital discharge | Usual outpatient physiotherapy care + activity tracker with weekly steps/day goal and monthly follow-up calls | 10 weeks outpatient physiotherapy* + 6 months follow up | Yes (RL+OD) | NA | Fitbit Zip | Usual outpatient physiotherapy care | aSteps/day a(P, FU) Minutes in moderate – vigorous PA | NA | NA | A PA intervention with supervision is feasible and may increase PA |
Creel (2016) [55] | Patients after bariatric surgery | Intervention 1: n = 52, 8 (15), 42 ± 11 Intervention 2: n = 48, 8 (17), 44 ± 12 Control: n = 50, 8 (16), 44 ± 11 | After hospital discharge | 1)Pedometer intervention: Usual care + Pedometer + information sheet to increase PA to 10.000 steps/day 2)Counseling intervention: Usual care + Pedometer + exercise counseling with Motivational Interviewing (MI) | 6 months | 1)No 2)Yes (RL) | 1)NA 2)Self-determination theory | Omron HJ 113 pedometer | Usual care | aSteps/day a(D, P) % time spent in sedentary activity | aSubmaximal graded exercise test (P) | NA | A counselling intervention using pedometers increased PA in the perioperative period |
Dorsch (2015) [38] | Patients with stroke | Intervention: n = 78, 31 (40), 62 ± 16 Control: n = 73, 28 (38), 65 ± 13 | During inpatient rehabilitation | Speed feedback + results and feedback on their summary activity graphs with a therapist | 21 days* | Yes (RL) | NA | Tri-axial accelerometer (Gulf Coast Data Concepts) | Speed feedback only: verbal feedback about walking speed after 10m walking test. | aTime spent walking (P) | a3-minute walking test (P) 150m walking speed test | NA | Augmented feedback did not improve walking outcomes |
Frederix (2015) [43] | Patients with acute coronary syndrome after a percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft | Intervention: n = 32, 26 (81), 58 ± 9 Control: n = 34, 29 (85), 63 ± 10 | During phase II cardiac rehabilitation. | Exercise training at home with telemonitoring support with accelerometers to encourage patients to increase his/her daily amount of steps wit 10% each week from baseline. | 18 weeks | No | NA | Triaxial accelerometer (Yorbody company) | Exercise training in the hospital’s rehabilitation centre | NA | aMaximal cardio-pulmonary exercise test (P) | NA | PA monitoring might be effective to maintain exercise tolerance |
Hassett (2020) [42] | Adults with mobility limitations undertaking aged care and neurological inpatient rehabilitation | Intervention: n = 149, 77 (52), 70 ± 18 Control: n = 151, 74 (49), 73 ± 15 | During and after inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + activity monitor, virtual reality video games and handheld computer devices with support by a physiotherapist | 6 months | Yes (RL+OD) | NA | Fitbit Zip, One and Alta | Usual care | aSteps/day (D,P) Time spent walking/day % of the day spent upright | aShort Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (P) DEMMI Step test | NA | The use of digitally enabled rehabilitation improved mobility |
Hornikx (2015) [54] | Patients with COPD, hospitalized for an exacerbation of COPD | Intervention: n = 15, 8 (53), 66 ± 7 Control: n = 15, 9 (60), 68 ± 6 | After hospital discharge | Pedometer + physical activity counselling with personalized goals | 1 month | Yes (OD) | NA | Fitbit Ultra pedometer | Usual care | aSteps/day (P) Time spent walking/day | aSix minutes walking test (P) Quadriceps muscle strength | NA | PA counselling with pedometer feedback did not improve PA or clinical outcomes |
Houle (2011) [44] | Patients < 80 years hospitalized for an acute coronary syndrome | Intervention: n = 32, 26 (81), 58 ± 8 Control: n = 33, 25 (76), 59 ± 9 | After hospital discharge | Home based cardiac rehabilitation program + pedometer + exercise counseling by clinical nurse specialist with a target of 3000 steps per day increment in physical activity | 12 months | Yes (RL+OD) | Social Cognitive theory | Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 | Usual care | aSteps/day a(D, P) | NA | NA | A pedometer intervention was useful to improve average steps/day |
Izawa (2005) [37] | Patients after completion of an acute-phase inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program | Intervention: n = 24, 21 (88), 64 ± 10 Control: n = 21, 17 (81), 65 ± 10 | After inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + self-monitoring of physical activity with feedback from a physical therapist | 5 months | Yes (RL) | Bandura’s self-efficacy theory | Kenz Liferecorder pedometer | Usual care | Steps/day (FU) | aCardio-pulmonary exercise test (P) Hand grip strength Quadriceps muscle strength | NA | Self-monitoring of PA may effectively increase PA |
Izawa (2012) [45] | Consecutive cardiovascular patients | Intervention: n = 52, 41 (79), 59 ± 8 Control: n = 51, 42 (82), 59 ± 13 | During hospitalization until the first outpatient contact with a physician after discharge. | Usual care + self-monitoring of physical activity with feedback from a physical therapist | 7 weeks* | Yes (RL) | Self-efficacy theory of Bandura and Oka | Kenz Lifecorder EX 1-axial accelerometer | Usual care | aSteps/day (P) | NA | NA | Self-monitoring of PA might effectively increase PA |
Kanai (2018) [39] | Patients with acute ischemic stroke | Intervention: n = 23, 15 (65), 67 ± 10 Control: n = 25, 13 (52), 63 ± 9 | During hospitalization | Usual care + self-monitoring of physical activity with feedback from a physical therapist | 12 days* | Yes (RL) | Self-efficacy theory of Bandura | Fitbit One | Usual care | aSteps/day (P) | NA | NA | Exercise training with accelerometer-based feedback effectively increased PA |
Lawrie (2018) [40] | Patients with recent stroke during rehabilitation | Intervention: n = 14, 10 (71), 53 ± 12 Control: n = 16, 13 (81), 62 ± 12 | During inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + smartwatch with visual feedback and a set goals based on a 5% increase in the total activity. | 3 weeks* | No | NA | ZGPAX S8 Android smartwatch | Usual care + smartwatch with limited visual feedback without goal setting. | NA | aBarthel Index (P) 10m walk test Hand grip strength | NA | No effect was found on functional outcome |
Mansfield (2015) [41] | Patients with sub-acute stroke attending inpatient rehabilitation | Intervention: n =29, 20 (69), 64 ± 19 Control: n = 28, 16 (57), 62 ± 13 | During inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + accelerometer-based daily walking activity reports with feedback from a physical therapist | 2 weeks* | Yes (RL) | NA | Two tri-axial accelerometers (Gulf Data Concepts) | Usual care | aSteps/day (P) Time spent walking/day | a6-meter walk test (P) | NA | Feedback did not increase the amount of walking |
Mehta (2020) [50] | Patients after hip or knee arthroplasty | Intervention: n=118, 38 (24), median age 66 (IQR 60-73) Control: n=124, 25 (20), median age 66 (IQR 57-73) | After hospital discharge | 1) Intervention A: Usual care + remote monitoring alone 2)Intervention B: Usual care + remote monitoring with gamification and social support | 45 days | 1)No 2)No | NA | Withings physical activity monitor | Usual care | NA | aTimed up and Go test (P) | NA | PA monitoring did not improve functional outcomes |
Moller (2015) [53] | Inactive patients with breast or colon cancer referred to adjuvant chemotherapy | Intervention: n = 14, 1 (7), 48 ± 8 Control: n = 16, 2 (13), 47 ± 9 | After surgery, during adjuvant chemotherapy | Usual care + Home-based individual progressive pedometer intervention with health promotion counselling and symptom management by a clinical nurse specialist | 12 weeks | Yes (RL) | NA | Omron Walking Style Pro pedometer | Usual care | NA | aCardio-respiratory fitness test (P) Muscle strength (leg press and chest press) | NA | No effect was found on functional outcomes |
Peel (2016) [56] | Patients admitted to post-acute care rehabilitation (aged 60 years and older) | Intervention: n = 128, 50 (39), 81 ± 9 Control: n = 127, 57 (45), 82 ± 8 | During inpatient rehabilitation | Usual care + accelerometer based feedback and goal setting on daily walking time by therapist | 4 weeks | Yes (RL) | NA | Triaxial ALIVE Heart and Activity Monitors and ActivPAL | Usual care | aNon-therapy walking time a(D, P) | aShort Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) (P) | NA | Daily feedback on PA using accelerometers increased walking time |
Pol (2019) [47] | Patients > 65 years old after hip fracture | Intervention: n =76, 11 (14), 84 ± 7 Control: n =87, 21 (24), 83 ± 7 | During and after institutional-ization in a skilled nursing facility | Usual occupational care + Cognitive Behavioural Treatment (CBT) + sensor monitoring | 4 months | Yes (RL) | Self-efficacy theory of Bandura | PAM AM300 | Usual occupational care + CBT | NA | aPerformed-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA) a(P, FU) Timed up and Go test | aCanadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) – performance scale (P, FU) | Sensor monitoring occupation therapy was more effective in improving patient reported daily functioning than usual care |
Van der Meij (2018) [51] | Adult patients scheduled for laparoscopic adnexal surgery, laparoscopic or open hernia inguinal surgery or laparoscopic cholecystectomy | Intervention: n = 173, 78 (45), 52 ± NA Control: n = 171, 79 (46), 51 ± NA | During and after hospitalization | Usual care + Personalized E-health program including self-monitoring on PA | 6 weeks | Yes (OD) | NA | UP MOVE, Jawbone | Usual care | NA | NA | aPatient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) – Physical Functioning a(P) | A personalised e-health program speeds up the return to normal activities compared to usual care |
Van der Walt (2018) [48] | Adults undergoing primary elective hip or knee arthroplasty | Intervention: n = 81, 45 (56), 67 ± 9 Control: n = 82, 36 (44), 66 ± 9 | During and after hospitalization | Usual care + activity tracker with daily step goals | 6 weeks | No | NA | Garmin Vivofit 2 | Usual care + activity tracker with obscured display | a% of preoperative step count a(D, P, FU) | NA | Knee Injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) (FU) | Patients who received feedback from a activity tracker had significant higher activity levels |
Wolk (2019) [52] | Patients scheduled for elective open and laparoscopic surgery of the colon, rectum, stomach, pancreas or liver. | Intervention: n = 27, 16 (59), 61 ± 10 Control: n = 27, 19 (70), 56 ± 11.1 | During the first 5 postoperative days | Usual care + activity trackers with daily step goals | 5 days | No | NA | Polar Loop activity tracker | Usual care + activity tracker with obscured display | aSteps/day (P) |  |  |  |