Fact-finding Survey and Report on the Use of Telerehabilitation Around the World

<p>Telerehabilitation uses Information and Communication Technology (ICT) including smart phones, tablets or laptops connected to the internet to conduct rehabilitation when the therapist and patient are physically separated from each other. By the use of video conference through the internet, health counseling, visual evaluation, exercise prescription and/or correction are possible even if patients are in depopulated areas and have difficulty commuting to the rehabilitation center. Since examples of Telerehabilitation are sparse and have low social recognition in Japan, a literature review on Telerehabilitation globally from 2001 to 2020 was performed for the purpose of providing information to professionals working in the field of rehabilitation in Japan. The review included 62 papers from which information was extracted. It turned out that Telerehabilitation is being implemented with patients in various countries around the world across a variety of conditions such as cerebrovascular accidents, accidental injuries, respiratory problems, heart diseases, problems associated with aging and congenital disorders. Furthermore, it became clear that physical separation while being a disadvantage for rehabilitation could be advantageous from the perspective of social distancing against infectious diseases. Although research into Telerehabilitation is a relatively new area of investigation, many countries are exploring its use, and consequently the number of publications are expanding year upon year. With the development of ICT, the evolution of Telerehabilitation is expected to continue in the future.</p>