Reliability and Acceptability of Real-time Virtual Video Pediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (V-pGALS)

Overview

The use of telemedicine in musculoskeletal assessment has been historically low. The current COVID 19 global pandemic has forced a paradigm shift with many centers rapidly adopting virtual visits to conduct care resulting in rapid expansion of use of telemedicine amongst practices. Mayoclinic has published The Telemedicine Musculoskeletal Examination for adults. Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters (PMM) has put video Pediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (V-pGALS) assessment sheet on their website. However, there is a lack of the acceptability and reliability of these tools. The aim of this study is to investigate acceptability and reliability of real-time virtual video Pediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (V-pGALS) assessment for musculoskeletal assessment of children for telemedicine visits.

The use of telemedicine in musculoskeletal assessment has been historically low. The current COVID 19 global pandemic has forced a paradigm shift with many centers rapidly adopting virtual visits to conduct care resulting in rapid expansion of the use of telemedicine amongst practices. Mayoclinic has published The Telemedicine Musculoskeletal Examination for adults. 'Paediatric Musculoskeletal Matters' (PMM- www.pmmonline.org, is a free, evidence-based, and peer-reviewed open e-resource for pediatric musculoskeletal (MSK) medicine targeting non-MSK specialists. They have also published video Pediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (V-pGALS), an assessment sheet for telemedicine visits on their webpage. However, there is a lack of the acceptability and reliability of these tools. The aim of this study is to investigate acceptability and reliability of real-time virtual video Pediatric Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (V-pGALS) assessment for musculoskeletal assessment of children for telemedicine visits. For this purpose, children at between the ages of 7-18 who admitted the Pediatric Rehabilitation outpatient clinic of Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Marmara University School of Medicine will be recruited to the study. They will be evaluated via V-pGALS face to face on the day of admission and the physiatrist will record the diagnosis if there is. Within 24 hours the child will be reevaluated via V-pGALS by using Zoom application virtually. The acceptability of V-pGALS examination to the child and parents in terms of the duration and additional discomfort caused was evaluated using visual analog scale with smiley faces (0-10, 0 for full acceptability).