Artificial intelligence as a copilot in rehabilitation care: an observational clinical study of a hybrid telerehabilitation model

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59681/2175-4411.v18.2026.1624

Keywords:

Telerehabilitation, Artificial Intelligence, Medical Informatics Applications

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary clinical performance signals of a hybrid musculoskeletal telerehabilitation platform supported by artificial intelligence and computer vision for people with chronic low back pain. Methods: This pilot observational clinical study included 50 participants followed for 12 weeks. A digital/hybrid care pathway, including remote monitoring, feedback during exercise performance, and physiotherapist supervision, was compared with standard in-person physiotherapy care. Outcomes included pain measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, disability measured by the Oswestry Disability Index, and completion of prescribed exercises. Results: Both groups showed improvements in pain and functional disability. The Digital group showed clinical performance comparable to that of the Conventional group, with preliminary evidence of non-inferiority for pain within the 2-point clinical margin. Exercise completion was higher in the Digital group (70%) than in the Conventional group (50%). Conclusion: The findings indicate feasibility and comparable clinical performance, and operational potential of the digital/hybrid model. As this was an observational pilot study, results should be confirmed in controlled, randomized, multicenter studies including economic evaluation.

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Author Biographies

Rodrigo Antônio Andrade Moura, Faculdade de Saúde Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; MEDME.CARE®, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Master of Science in Health Sciences from the Teaching and Research Institute of Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte. Bachelor's degree in Physiotherapy from the University Center of Belo Horizonte - UNI-BH and in Information Systems from the Newton Paiva University Center. Specialization (residency and postgraduate studies) in Orthopedic and Traumatology Physiotherapy from the University Center of Belo Horizonte - UNI-BH/IPSEMG Hospital. Specialist member in Sports Physiotherapy of the National Society of Sports Physiotherapy (SONAFE). Executive MBA in Health Management from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation - FGV/Ohio University - USA. Currently director of the Rehabilitation and Physical Conditioning Center - FORTALESER. Co-founder of the MEDME.CARE Platform.

Sávia Denise Silva Carlotto Herrera, Universidade de Gurupi (UNIRG), Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil

Physiotherapist (2001). Master's degree in Health Sciences (2018). Professor at the University of Gurupi UnirG, Paraíso do Tocantins-TO campus, in the Research and Scientific Initiation (PIC), Final Course Project (TCC), and Integration, University, Service and Community (IUSC) components. Coordinator of the PROMED-Extension Program in Medicine (PROECAE) and PIBIC projects (PROPESQ). Has experience in Management as Campus Director, Coordinator of the Physiotherapy course, Advisor to the Rector for the Medicine and Aesthetics and Cosmetics Technology courses, in the UnirG Medical Residency Implementation Committee/COREME. Member of the Family and Community Medicine Residency Monitoring Project for improving the Quality of Primary Health Care in the municipality of Gurupi-TO (PPSUS/TO 2017) and the Centelha Project (FAPT-2023). Founding member of the STARTUP WASI.

Fábio Pegoraro, Universidade de Gurupi (UNIRG), Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil

Holds a degree in Administration from Faculdade Unirg (2003), an MBA in Business Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas - FGV (2004), a Master's degree in Production and Systems Engineering from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás - PUC-GO (2012), and a PhD in Production and Systems Engineering from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), where he was a CAPES and Fundação Araucária do Estado do Paraná scholarship recipient, developing decision support models to reduce overcrowding in Emergency Rooms. He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in Production and Systems Engineering, also at PUCPR. He was the Coordinator of the Solidarity Enterprises extension project. He is a tenured Full Professor I in the Administration, Physiotherapy, and Medicine courses at the University of Gurupi (UNIRG), where he also works as a researcher and supervisor of Scientific Initiation (IC). He was Vice-Rector of Research and Graduate Studies at UNIRG from 2020 to 2024, during which time he secured CAPES approval for the University's first graduate programs (master's degrees). He also serves as General Coordinator of the Gurupi Innovation Center (CIG) project, which receives funding from FINEP and aims to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the Southern Region of the State of Tocantins through knowledge development and entrepreneurial actions, fostering a culture of innovation and promoting and supporting innovative entrepreneurship. He is an editor and reviewer for national and international scientific journals such as Plos One, Computers in Biology and Medicine, Journal of Engineering in Medicine, Symposium on Production Engineering (SIMPEP), Frontiers in Sustainability, Cereus Journal, and Amazônia Science Health. Fábio Pegoraro also worked as a CNPq research fellow on the Technologies for Social Development Project (Solidarity Economic Enterprises in Territories of Citizenship, Tocantins). His research areas include: Health education, Process Mining, Discrete Event Simulation (DES), and Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), all applied to the fields of health management and education.

Walmirton Bezerra D’Alessandro, Universidade de Gurupi (UNIRG), Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil

Vice-Rector for Research and Graduate Studies at UnirG. Post-doctoral degree in Health Assistance and Evaluation from the Faculty of Pharmacy-UFG (PPGAAS/UFG). PhD (2012) and Master's (2008) in Tropical Medicine from the Institute of Tropical Pathology and Public Health of the Federal University of Goiás (IPTSP/UFG/Area of ​​concentration: Parasitology). Biomedical Scientist from UFG (2005). Has experience in the areas of Basic and Clinical Biochemistry, Parasitology, Parasitic and/or Vector Arthropods, Blood Bank, Immunohematology, Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Laboratory Diagnosis, Biostatistics, Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Full Professor in the Medicine course at the University of Gurupi UnirG since 2012 and currently at the Paraíso do Tocantins Campus in the subjects of Basic Biochemistry, Medical Biochemistry and Parasitology. Coordinator of Technological Innovation Research Projects with fundraising. Second place in entrepreneurial ideas in the Centelha project of the State of Tocantins, out of more than 750 ideas, raising 50,000 reais. Founding member of WASI BIOTECH LTDA. Partnership with UFPA in raising 3 million reais, with 550,000 reais decentralized to create an observatory on mercury poisoning in humans at the UNIRG advanced campus in Paraíso do Tocantins. Professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Palmas - AFYA Palmas.

Agrinazio Geraldo Nascimento Neto, Universidade de Gurupi (UNIRG), Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil

Graduated in Physiotherapy from the University of Gurupi (2022) and holds a master's degree in Biotechnology from the Federal University of Tocantins (2024). Completed postgraduate studies in the areas of Public Health, Dermatofunctional Physiotherapy, and Advanced Aesthetics with an emphasis on Facial Harmonization. Currently, she works as a substitute professor at the University of Gurupi and as a physiotherapist at the Gurupi Regional Hospital.

Graciele Moura Cielo, MEDME.CARE®, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

Specialist in Innovation, Digital Transformation Projects and Change Management; Blockchain Evangelist; Agile Enterprise Management; Lessons from the Valley: Governance, Process and OKR; Secure Frameworks, Scrum, Kanban and Lean; Community Builder at Women In Blockchain Brazil; Entrepreneur; PMP, COBIT, ITIL and Six Sigma Green Belt certifications. MBA in Project Management from FGV-PR. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from PUC-MG. Currently a consultant in Innovation, Digital Transformation Projects and Change Management.

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Idoso faz exercício com halteres em casa, diante de um notebook.

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Published

2026-11-03

How to Cite

Moura, R. A. A., Herrera, S. D. S. C., Pegoraro, F., D’Alessandro, W. B., Nascimento Neto, A. G., & Cielo, G. M. (2026). Artificial intelligence as a copilot in rehabilitation care: an observational clinical study of a hybrid telerehabilitation model. Journal of Health Informatics, 18(1), 1624. https://doi.org/10.59681/2175-4411.v18.2026.1624

Issue

Vol. 18 (2026)

Section

Original Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Rodrigo Antônio Andrade Moura, Sávia Denise Silva Carlotto Herrera, Fábio Pegoraro, Walmirton Bezerra D’Alessandro, Agrinazio Geraldo Nascimento Neto, Graciele Moura Cielo

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