Philippine Journal of Allied Health Sciences 2025;8(2):41-47

doi:10.36413/pjahs.0802.007

Experiences and perspectives of Filipino rehabilitation professionals and patients on telerehabilitation or on-site rehabilitation for managing low back pain: A phenomenological study protocol

Jordan Barbra Nava 1 ; Maria Eliza Dela Cruz 1 ; Raoul Daniel Andaya 1 ; Georgine Barrientos 1 ; Mikael Angelo Cristobal 1 ; Karl Sydrick King 1 ; Fiona Alexis Lim 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

Elerehabilitation; On-site Rehabilitation; Phenomenological Study

Country

Philippines

Language

English

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Low back pain is a major global cause of disability, typically treated through traditional onsite rehabilitation. However, the advancement of telerehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity to examine its effectiveness as a treatment option for low back pain. This study aims to seek and explore the experiences and perspectives of healthcare professionals about onsite or online management of LBP.

METHODS

The study will employ a phenomenological qualitative study design that will use quota sampling to recruit a total of 16 participants, equally distributed among rehabilitation doctors, physical therapists, barangay healthworkers, and patients with low back pain, coming from hospitals and centers affiliated with the University of Santo Tomas in Metro Manila. Key informant interviews that follow a semi-structured interview format will be conducted either on-site or online, depending on the preference of the invited informant. The NVivo data analysis software will be utilized to produce codes and outline themes from the gathered data.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The research is expected to highlight the nuanced interplay between individual viewpoints and contextual factors that influence decision-making in rehabilitation settings, besides identifying these themes. Findings will be instrumental in informing best practices for managing low back pain, thereby helping physical therapists determine the most effective treatment approach—whether through telerehabilitation or traditional on-site care. The study can provide actionable recommendations through grounding the implications of the analysis to the anticipated findings that might affect the rehabilitation practices and patient outcomes in the Philippines.