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Low back pain is an important problem in industrialized countries. Two key factors limit the effectiveness of physiotherapy: low compliance of patients with repetitive movement exercises, and inadequate awareness of patients of their own posture. The Backtrainer system addresses these problems by real-time monitoring of the spine position, by providing a framework for most common physiotherapy exercises for the low back, and by providing feedback to patients in a motivating way. A minimal sensor configuration was identified as two inertial sensors that measure the orientation of the lower back at two points with three degrees of freedom. The software was designed as a flexible platform to experiment with different hardware, and with various feedback modalities. Basic exercises for two types of movements are provided: mobilizing and stabilizing. We developed visual feedback - abstract as well as in the form of a virtual reality game - and complemented the on-screen graphics with an ambient feedback device. The system was evaluated during five weeks in a rehabilitation clinic with 26 patients and 15 physiotherapists. Subjective satisfaction of subjects was good, and we interpret the results as encouraging indication for the adoption of such a therapy support system by both patients and therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a field study we compared usage and acceptance of a mobile lifestyle coaching application with a traditional web application. The participants (N=40) documented health behaviour (activity and healthy nutrition) daily, trying to reach a defined goal. In addition, health questionnaires and social facilitation features were provided to enhance motivation. Acceptance of the system was high in both groups. The mobile application was perceived as being more attractive and fun to use. Analysis of the usage patterns showed significant differences between the mobile and the web-based application. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of task compliance and health behaviour. The effectiveness of mobility and social facilitation was confounded by other variables, e.g. gender and age. Initial motivation for lifestyle change was related to the overall compliance and goal achievement of the participant. Implications show ways to strengthen the persuasiveness of health applications on mobile devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]