AT A GLANCE

A new study published in Clinical Rheumatology concludes that telerehabilitation (TR) significantly improves disease activity, function, and mobility in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), while a YouTube®-based exercise intervention failed to support such findings.¹

“Exercise is an important part of the treatment for axSpA. TR may be a good alternative for the patient group who cannot access face-to-face exercise. In addition, with the developing technology, social media platforms are used in rehabilitation,” explain study authors Yentur et al. “The aim of this study was to compare the effects of TR and YouTube®-based exercises on disease activity, function, mobility, quality of life, and posture in patients with AS.”

For study purposes, 44 patients with axSpA were randomly divided into two groups, with one completing TR via video conferencing and the other group recommended to watch high-quality videos on YouTube® according to the Global Quality Scoring for 8 weeks. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Function Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI), Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life, and PostureScreen application were used to evaluate disease activity, function, mobility, quality of life, and posture, respectively.

Among 39 axSpA patients who completed the study, significant differences were observed in disease activity, function, and mobility as well as in head tilt forward and shoulder angle right side in the lateral posture analysis between before and after intervention in the TR group, while no significant differences were found between before and after intervention in the YouTube®-based exercise group. When comparing findings after intervention between the groups, a significant difference was obtained for head tilt forward, but no significant difference was obtained in other parameters.

“It was concluded that TR was effective on disease activity, mobility, and function in patients with axSpA. TR and YouTube® exercises can be safely applied in patients with axSpA. Studies comparing face-to-face and supervised exercises with TR applications are needed,” conclude the authors.

Reference

1.     Uentur SB, Boyrazlı IS, Elbastı MS, Koca SS. Effects of telerehabilitation and YouTube platform-based exercise videos in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: a randomized controlled study. Clin Rheumatol.2025;44(9):3561–3571.