Abstract
Background: Proper performance of corrective exercises is crucial for treating scoliosis, a common musculoskeletal disorder. However, these exercises are often performed incorrectly, reducing their therapeutic effects. This study aimed to design a mobile-based educational application to increase adherence to corrective exercises among scoliosis patients and to test the hypothesis that the proposed application positively affects the recovery and learning rate of these exercises in scoliosis patients.
Methods: Information requirements were gathered to develop the application according to library resources and expert opinions. The mobile application was then developed using the latest available technologies in the world. Finally, the system was evaluated by measuring its impact on patient recovery rate and exercise learning using a case-control method, usability through a user experience questionnaire, and accuracy using a confusion matrix.
Results: Fifty-one information requirements were identified for the treatment of scoliosis, and seven rule-based reasoning processes were used in comprehensive decision-making rules. The system demonstrated 100% accuracy. The evaluation phase revealed a significant relationship between application use and recovery rate in the case group (P=0.004). Moreover, the use of the application had a positive effect on the rate of learning corrective exercises. The highest and lowest usability scores were observed in the “perspicuity” and “stimulation” dimensions of the app, respectively.
Conclusion: In low-income countries, the developed application can be used to construct broader, similar systems and programs in treatment management, patient monitoring, emergency response, personalized health monitoring, and improved access to healthcare information.