Investigation of the effect of telerehabilitation-based aerobic exercises on physical fitness in epilepsy patients: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BackgroundTelerehabilitation refers to the provision of medical rehabilitation services to individuals in remote locations through the use of online communication technologies.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the impact of a telerehabilitation-based aerobic exercise program on physical fitness in patients with epilepsy.MethodsA total of 42 individuals, aged 18-50, diagnosed with epilepsy were randomly assigned to the study group (SG) (n = 21) and the control group (CG) (n = 21). The SG participated in a regimen consisting of 45 min of conventional physiotherapy combined with 30 min of telerehabilitation-based aerobic exercise, conducted 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The CG received only conventional physiotherapy with the same frequency and duration. Pre- and post-treatment measurements were taken, including body composition (muscle mass, body fat percentage, body weight) assessed through bioelectrical impedance analysis, physical performance evaluated via the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), muscular endurance measured with the 30-s stand-and-sit test, and treatment satisfaction assessed using the visual analog scale.ResultsThe SG demonstrated significant improvements in physical performance (p = 0.01) and muscular endurance (p < 0.001) compared to the CG. However, there was no superority of SG compared to the CG for body composition parameters. (p > 0.05, for all) Within-group comparisons revealed that SG showed significant improvements in body composition measurements (p < 0.001), while no significant changes were observed in the CG for either all parameters. (p > 0.05, for all).ConclusionTelerehabilitation-based aerobic exercise proves to be an effective intervention for enhancing physical fitness in individuals with epilepsy.