Currently submitted to: JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies
Date Submitted: Feb 28, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 23, 2026 - May 18, 2026
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Ecological momentary assessment and its potential contribution to physiotherapy rehabilitation: A scoping review of clinical, methodological, and technological applications in real-world contexts
ABSTRACT
Background:
Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) enables repeated, real-time measurements in naturalistic contexts and may help address key challenges in physiotherapy rehabilitation, including treatment adherence and symptom monitoring in context.
Objective:
To map and synthesize the available evidence on clinical, methodological, and technological applications of EMA in physiotherapy-related rehabilitation research
Methods:
A scoping review was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched, and empirical studies implementing EMA in clinical, community, or home settings were included. Data were charted on populations, EMA design features (sampling window, prompts/day, instruments), sensor integration, target variables, and compliance reporting.
Results:
Twenty-seven studies were included, mainly on musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Most studies used smartphone-based mHealth platforms, and a substantial proportion integrated objective sensors (primarily accelerometry). Reported compliance ranged from moderate to high across protocols. However, substantial heterogeneity was observed in EMA schedules, variables assessed, compliance definitions, and reporting practices, limiting cross-study comparability.
Conclusions:
EMA appears feasible and promising for physiotherapy rehabilitation research. It may support context-sensitive assessment and personalization. Greater standardization of EMA reporting (including compliance metrics and missing-data handling) and more rigorous designs are needed to consolidate clinical implementation and facilitate integration into real-time adaptive interventions. Clinical Trial: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2026-1-0084/ https://inplasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/INPLASY-Protocol-8732.pdf
Citation
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