Spine Examination during COVID-19 Pandemic via Video Consultation

 

 Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Introduction During the current COVID-19 pandemic video consultations are increasingly common in order to minimize the risk of infection for staff and patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a spine examination via video.

Methods A total of 43 patients were recruited. Each participant underwent a video-based (VB) and a conventional face-to-face (FTF) spine examination. Pain intensity, active range of motion, inspection, a neurophysiologic basic exam and provocations tests were evaluated using video-based and face-to-face methods.

Results The intra-rater reliability (IRR) was measured between both examinations. Good to very good IRR values were obtained in inspection (Kappa between 0,752 und 0,944), active range of motion and basic neurophysiological examination (Kappa between 0,659 und 0,969). Only moderate matches were found in specific provocation tests (Kappa between 0,407 und 0,938). A video-based spine examination is a reliable tool for measuring pain intensity, active range of motion and a basic neurophysiologic exam.

Conclusion A basic spine examination during a video consultation is possible. A good agreement of the test results between video-based and face-to-face examination could be found.

Publication History

Article published online:
02 February 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

• References/Literatur

• 1 Andersson GBJ. The Lancet 1999; 354: 581-585 doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(99)01312-4
  CrossrefPubMed
• 2 James SL, Abate D, Abate KH. et al. Lancet 2018; 392: 1789-1858 doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(18)32279-7
  CrossrefPubMed
• 3 Bundesärztekammer (BÄK), Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF), Kassenärztliche Bundesvereinigung (KBV), Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften (AWMF). 2. Aufl. Version 1. 2017
• 4 [Anonym] https://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/112413/Aerzte-appellieren-Arztbesuche-nicht-aufzuschieben
• 5 Grimes CL, Balk EM, Crisp CC. et al. Int Urogynecol J 2020; DOI: 10.1007/s00192-020-04314-4.
  CrossrefPubMed
• 6 Dorsey ER, Topol EJ. N Engl J Med 2016; 375: 154-161 doi:10.1056/NEJMra1601705
  CrossrefPubMed
• 7 Lurie N, Carr BG. JAMA Intern Med 2018; 178: 745-746 doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.1314
  CrossrefPubMed
• 8 Smith AC, Thomas E, Snoswell CL. et al. J Telemed Telecare 2020; 26: 309-313 doi:10.1177/1357633X20916567
  CrossrefPubMed
• 9 Tenforde AS, Hefner JE, Kodish-Wachs JE. et al. PM R 2017; 9 (5S): S51-S58 doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2017.02.013
  CrossrefPubMed
• 10 Altman DG. Boca Raton, Florida, USA: CRC press; 1990
• 11 Word Medical Association. JAMA 2013; 310: 2191-2194 doi:10.1001/jama.2013.281053
  CrossrefPubMed
• 12 Holdgate A, Asha S, Craig J. et al. Emerg Med (Fremantle) 2003; 15: 441-446
  CrossrefPubMed
• 13 van Trijffel E, van de Pol RJ, Oostendorp RA. et al. J Physiother 2010; 56: 223-235
  CrossrefPubMed
• 14 Behmanesh A, Sadoughi F, Mazhar FN. et al. J Telemed Telecare 2020; DOI: 10.1177/1357633X20919308.
  CrossrefPubMed
• 15 Buvik A, Bugge E, Knutsen G. et al. J Telemed Telecare 2019; 25: 451-459 doi:10.1177/1357633X18783921
  CrossrefPubMed
• 16 Holderried M, Schlipf M, Hoper A. et al. Z Orthop Unfall 2018; 156: 68-77 doi:10.1055/s-0043-116941
  Article in Thieme ConnectPubMed
• 17 Sharareh B, Schwarzkopf R. J Arthroplasty 2014; 29: 918-922.e1 doi:10.1016/j.arth.2013.09.019
  CrossrefPubMed
• 18 Buvik A, Bugge E, Knutsen G. et al. BMC Health Serv Res 2016; 16: 483 doi:10.1186/s12913-016-1717-7
  CrossrefPubMed
• 19 Lade H, McKenzie S, Steele L. et al. J Telemed Telecare 2012; 18: 413-418 doi:10.1258/jtt.2012.120501
  CrossrefPubMed
• 20 Cabana F, Boissy P, Tousignant M. et al. Telemed J E Health 2010; 16: 293-298 doi:10.1089/tmj.2009.0106
  CrossrefPubMed
• 21 Russell T, Truter P, Blumke R. et al. Telemed J E Health 2010; 16: 585-594 doi:10.1089/tmj.2009.0163
  CrossrefPubMed
• 22 Hestbaek L, Korsholm L, Leboeuf-Yde C. et al. Eur Spine J 2008; 17: 1727-1734 doi:10.1007/s00586-008-0796-5
  CrossrefPubMed
• 23 Thompson JC, Cichowski SB, Rogers RG. et al. Int Urogynecol J 2019; 30: 1639-1646 doi:10.1007/s00192-019-03895-z
  CrossrefPubMed
• 24 Buvik A, Bergmo TS, Bugge E. et al. J Med Internet Res 2019; 21: e11330 doi:10.2196/11330
• 25 Mani S, Sharma S, Singh DK. J Telemed Telecare 2019; DOI: 10.1177/1357633X19861802.
  CrossrefPubMed
• 26 Janda V. Amsterdam: Elsevier; 2013