Considerations for ensuring safety during telerehabilitation of people with stroke. A protocol for a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction Exercise interventions have a positive impact on people with stroke. However, access to exercise interventions is variable, and there may be a delay in the start of rehabilitation. Telerehabilitation has enabled the delivery of exercise interventions replacing the traditional face-to-face approach. Aspects related to the safety of people with stroke should be considered to avoid adverse events during the delivery of exercise interventions remotely. However, such information is scattered in the literature, and the detail with which measures taken during the implementation of exercise interventions for people with stroke are reported is unknown. Objective To summarise measures or aspects targeted at reducing the incidence of adverse events during the delivery of exercise interventions through telerehabilitation in patients after stroke. Materials and methods A scoping review will be conducted. A systematic search in MEDLINE-Ovid, Embase-Ovid CENTRAL, CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost), and other resources will be carried out. We will include primary studies, published in full text in any language, involving people with stroke who undergo telerehabilitation where exercise is the main component. Two reviewers will independently select studies and extract data, and disagreements will be resolved by consensus or a third reviewer. The results will be reported in a narrative form, using tables and figures to support them. Discussion To implement this strategy within rehabilitation services, one of the first aspects to be solved is to ensure the safety of people. The results of this scoping review could contribute an information base for clinicians and decision-makers when designing remotely delivered exercise intervention programs.