It’s news to no one that the last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind thanks to COVID turning the world on its head. The way we think about and deliver healthcare has changed faster than at any other time in recorded history. Telehealth (along with the previously humble QR code) experienced what could arguably be the biggest coming of age story of the entire pandemic.
Never a group to be sitting on their laurels, healthcare researchers took this unique opportunity to investigate how effective telehealth services are compared with the in-person appointments we were all used to.
The good news is that conducting physiotherapy appointments via telehealth proved to be just as effective as face-to-face appointments for a broad range of patients. One area I would like to focus on today is the use of telehealth in pelvic floor physiotherapy.
A systematic review (as in the highest level of evidence we have available, when a group of researchers collate all the existing research on a single topic and combine it to create one super document) was published recently.
The researchers found that rehabilitation of the female pelvic floor via telehealth was remarkably effective. Participants experienced less episodes of incontinence, decreased severity of their incontinence, improved pelvic floor muscle function and strength as well as a significant improvement in their reported overall quality of life. All without even having to leave the house!
There was already research to show that getting people to complete a pelvic floor exercise program at home is at least as effective as having them come all the way into the clinic to do it with a professional – as long as they are checking in with the pelvic floor physio occasionally for monitoring. The question was then raised – does this need to be in person? Or would monitoring via digital means be as effective?
One of the studies included in the systematic review found that the people who received telehealth pelvic floor physiotherapy rehabilitation sessions were just as likely to see improvements than those who attended once-weekly face-to-face appointments.
Now, if you’re lucky enough to have easy access to a pelvic floor physiotherapist, then it comes down to a matter of personal preference. If both in-person sessions and telehealth is likely to have similar results for you, then it becomes a question of how much you value attending a bricks and mortar clinic.
For the majority of Australia where access to pelvic floor physiotherapy is more limited, these are really important results. Suddenly the regional, rural and remote parts of our country have equal access to important healthcare. So many people are denied the care they need because of geography.
Incontinence is one of the biggest reported factors negatively affecting quality of life, and there’s a lot that can be done about it. Gone are the days of suffering in silence and hoping for the best.
You can book in to see one of our pelvic floor physiotherapists from anywhere in Australia, and feel comfortable in knowing that you are still receiving best practice care based on the best available evidence that we have.
The research article referenced in this post can be found here