Abstract spin in physiotherapy interventions using virtual reality or robotics: protocol for two Meta-research reviews

Abstract

Background

Emerging technologies such as robotics and virtual reality (VR) are being trialled and implemented into physiotherapy practice. As emerging technologies compete for market share, trials on emerging technologies are at risk of spin. For consumers to make informed decisions about whether to use a new technology, trials should accurately portray the results. If spin is present, outcomes may not be comparable to the results reported when interventions are implemented clinically.

Objectives

To determine the amount and type of spin in abstracts of physiotherapy clinical trials that use robotic or VR interventions. A secondary objective is to determine the agreement between raters, both experienced and inexperienced, using an existing 7-item checklist with updated item definitions.

Methods

We will perform two meta-research reviews on a random set of 100 robotics (study 1) and 100 VR (study 2) trials, from any year, indexed in the PEDro database. Using the updated spin checklist, the abstract of each trial will be assessed in corroboration with full-text. The total spin score and proportion of studies with spin for each item will be reported. Agreement between experienced and inexperienced raters will be determined using kappa statistics. Rater confidence in rating each item will be collected.

Discussion

We will identify if spin is present in robotics and VR literature and evaluate if the spin checklist can be confidently and consistently used by raters. We hope this research will facilitate best-practice reporting of research findings so emerging technologies will be implemented with realistic expectation of clinical outcome.

Keywords:

• Agreement
• spin
• technology
• clinical trials
• robotics
• virtual reality

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Sarah Su for assistance in developing search terms for this study.

Disclosure statement

All authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Peter W. Stubbs

Peter William Stubbs is a registered physiotherapist and lecturer in the Discipline of Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Peter graduated with a PhD from Aalborg University in Denmark. Following this, he has held positions at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and Hammel Neurorehabilitation and Research Centre (Denmark). He is interested in Neurorehabilitation and is developing a particular interest for working with new technologies. He currently teaches Professional Practice and Subacute Rehabilitation. In his role, he also supervises coursework student groups and hopes to increase the awareness and ability of students to use and appraise literature.

Poonam Mehta

Rafael Zambelli Pinto is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) - Brazil. Currently, he is the secretary of the International Society of Physiotherapy Journal Editors, which has over 100 member journals. He is an Editor-in-Chief of the Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. Rafael's research interests include low back pain and evidence-based practice. He has supervised 2 PhD and 3 master students and co-supervised 1 PhD and 4 master students,

Lucy Bryant

Poonam Mehta is an academic, Lecturer at the Graduate School of Health, Discipline of Physiotherapy, at the University of Technology Sydney. She is an early career academic and researcher with nearly three years of teaching experience. She is a trained Paediatric physiotherapist and has completed her undergraduate degree (Bachelors of Physiotherapy- 2007) and Masters Study (Masters of Physiotherapy in Pediatrics- 2009) in India. After working as a Lecturer in India (2009-2011), she moved to New Zealand to start her PhD at the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago. Her doctoral research was in the area of Neuropathic pain and was completed in 2015 with a thesis entitled “Neuropathic pain: Outcome measures and their psychometric properties”. This study focused on identifying reliable and valid outcomes measures for diabetic neuropathic pain. During her PhD, she worked as a distant lecturer at the Angelia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, Essex, UK. After her graduation, Poonam worked as an Assistant Research Fellow at the National Science Challenge- Ageing Well, hosted by the University of Otago, New Zealand (2017-2018). Poonam's teaching interests are in Acute Care and Prevention and Rehabilitation in Community. Her research interests are in health and wellbeing throughout the span of ageing; her approaches have included Systematic reviews, clinical trials, qualitative research, and observational longitudinal studies.

Rafael Z. Pinto

Dr Lucy Bryant is a Lecturer and post-doctoral researcher in Speech Pathology at UTS, and a certified practicing speech pathologist. Her primary area of research expertise relates to the role of technology in society and communication, and exploring how developments in technology, particularly Virtual and Augmented Reality, will influence the delivery of speech pathology and other disability services into the future. Lucy completed her PhD in 2018 at the University of Newcastle, Australia, examining the role of computerised language analysis systems to support functional language assessment and decision-making in relation to supporting adults with acquired communication disability. She continues to work both clinically and through research providing assessment and intervention of functional language and communication skills for people with developmental and acquired communication disability.

Arianne P. Verhagen

Prof Arianne Verhagen is Head of Discipline Physiotherapy at UTS (University of Technology Sydney) in Sydney. She has performed and co-authored numerous systematic reviews (> 100) and clinical research studies investigating evidence-based medicine in musculoskeletal disorders. She has published over 295 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals (H-index=56) and received over 2.5 million euro on grants in the past 7 years.

Alana B. McCambridge

Dr Alana B McCambridge is a lecturer in the discipline of Physiotherapy at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Australia. Since undertaking her PhD at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, her research has been centred around the rehabilitation of neurological movement disorders. For the past four years, Dr McCambridge has coordinated the research methods and evidence-based practice courses for the physiotherapy students at UTS. Whilst teaching these courses she has developed an interest in meta-research studies to help improve the quality of literature that informs clinical practice.