ArticleBMC health services research2022
Potential of digitalization within physiotherapy: a comparative survey.
Article in BMC health services research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Evaluation of Patient-Facing Mobile Apps to Support Physiotherapy Care: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Pooled it
- "It's a black box": Physiotherapists' perspectives on sensorimotor control and the use of technology in this context to improve rehabilitation following ACL injury.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2026Article
- Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of virtual reality as a pain management intervention in outpatient physiotherapy practices: a qualitative analysis.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Physiotherapists' perception of barriers and facilitators to the implementation of digital health interventions: a scoping review.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- The Digital Competences of Exercise Therapists in Obesity Care: A Step Towards Digital Sovereignty Assessed with the DigCompThExO Questionnaire.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Acceptance and use of digital health technologies among physiotherapists in Germany: a web-based cross-sectional survey.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Validation of the DigCompThExO questionnaire for assessing exercise therapists' competences in planning and implementing digital obesity therapy.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Exploring Health Care Professionals' Perspectives on Using Video Feedback and Movement Analysis to Facilitate Physical Functioning for Older Adults Living at Home: Co-Design Approach.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Sociotechnical Adaptation of Telerehabilitation in Rehabilitation Practice: Survey Among Rehabilitation Professionals.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2025Article
- VR Head Tracking as a Useful Tool for the Qualitative Assessment of Cervical Spine Movement.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Usage of Virtual Reality Technology in Physiotherapy in Germany: Results from a Survey.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Health workforce perceptions on telehealth augmentation opportunities.BMC health services research · 2023Article
- Digitalization in orthopaedics: a narrative review.Frontiers in surgery · 2023Review
- Physiotherapists' Perceptions and Willingness to Use Telerehabilitation in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study.Cureus · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDue to the global digitalization, implementation of digital elements into daily work can support physiotherapists' work but may also pose some challenges. Only little is known about physiotherapists' attitude towards digitalization. This study primarily aimed to analyze physiotherapists' attitude towards digitalization and to what extend digital tools have been implemented into their daily work. In second analysis, participants' characteristics such as age, working place, gender and mode of survey participation were assessed.
methodsA 12-main-item survey amongst voluntary course participants of one physiotherapeutic training center was conducted via paper-based as well as online questionnaires between July 2018 and June 2019 including questions on participants' general as well as particular attitude towards digitalization, the use of (mobile) applications and possible advantages and disadvantages of the ongoing digital transformation. Sub-analysis was performed for age (≤40 years versus > 40 years), gender, mode of participation (paper vs. online) and working place (practice vs. hospital).
resultsOverall, 488 physiotherapists participated in the survey. In comparison of the age groups, younger participants had more concerns about data security (p = 0.042) and insufficient financial remuneration (p < 0.001). Younger participants stated higher satisfaction with data literacy than their counterparts (p = 0.0001). Physiotherapists working in the outpatient sector, rather than in hospitals, expected digitalization to increase more in relevance (p < 0.001). The online respondents (OG) indicated that they had more knowledge about key aspects of the current legal situation regarding digitalization than participants completing the paper-based survey (p = 0.002). 50.4% of the considered digitalization as useful for their job.
conclusionsThe majority of participants saw high potential for digitalization in the physiotherapy sector. Younger physiotherapists seem to be more concerned about data security and insufficient financial remuneration. Physiotherapists in the outpatient sector seem to see more potential in digital transformations. General concerns like missing reimbursement, lack of data security or knowledge on legal frameworks should be addressed in the future. Further studies should focus on identifying specific digital tools which can support physiotherapists.
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