Improving Spine Surgical Care With Real-Time Objective Patient Tracking Using the Apple Watch

NCT ID: NCT04379921

Last Updated: 2025-12-19

Study Results

Results available

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

255 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-09-01

Study Completion Date

2024-11-30

Brief Summary

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One of the primary goals of spine surgery is to reduce pain and increase mobility to improve patients' quality of life. Currently, there is no established method for surgeons to objectively track their patients' mobilization postoperatively. This study is the first prospective trial utilizing the Apple Watch to objectively track patients before and after elective spine surgery. The investigators hypothesize that the ability of patients to track their own activity and discuss with their surgeon objective mobilization goals will not only help patients achieve empowerment in their own care but also improve their overall satisfaction and self-reported outcomes after spine surgery.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Spine Disease Spine Degeneration Spinal Stenosis Surgery Spine Fusion

Keywords

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Spine Surgery Apple Watch Objective Tracking of Spine Surgery Outcomes

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Control

Participants will receive standard care.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Apple Watch and App

Participants will receive standard care, and an Apple Watch to record activity through the App.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Apple Watch and App

Intervention Type DEVICE

Participants in the Apple Watch and App arm will receive an Apple Watch and download an App (NeuroCoach). The Apple Watch and App are used for this study to record patient's mobility information (e.g., step counts, heart rate, stairs climbed, distance traveled) as well as provide an additional platform for patients to complete questionnaires.

Interventions

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Apple Watch and App

Participants in the Apple Watch and App arm will receive an Apple Watch and download an App (NeuroCoach). The Apple Watch and App are used for this study to record patient's mobility information (e.g., step counts, heart rate, stairs climbed, distance traveled) as well as provide an additional platform for patients to complete questionnaires.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* English-speaking.
* Undergoing elective spine surgery by attending physicians at Stanford University.
* Own iPhone

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with spine trauma, tumors, or infection.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Stryker Nordic

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Stanford University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Corinna Zygourakis

Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Corinna Zygourakis, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University

Locations

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Stanford University Hospital

Palo Alto, California, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

References

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Bernstein DN, Brodell D, Li Y, Rubery PT, Mesfin A. Impact of the Economic Downturn on Elective Lumbar Spine Surgery in the United States: A National Trend Analysis, 2003 to 2013. Global Spine J. 2017 May;7(3):213-219. doi: 10.1177/2192568217694151. Epub 2017 Apr 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28660102 (View on PubMed)

Davis H. Increasing rates of cervical and lumbar spine surgery in the United States, 1979-1990. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1994 May 15;19(10):1117-23; discussion 1123-4. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199405001-00003.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8059266 (View on PubMed)

O'Lynnger TM, Zuckerman SL, Morone PJ, Dewan MC, Vasquez-Castellanos RA, Cheng JS. Trends for Spine Surgery for the Elderly: Implications for Access to Healthcare in North America. Neurosurgery. 2015 Oct;77 Suppl 4:S136-41. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000945.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26378351 (View on PubMed)

Parker SL, Chotai S, Devin CJ, Tetreault L, Mroz TE, Brodke DS, Fehlings MG, McGirt MJ. Bending the Cost Curve-Establishing Value in Spine Surgery. Neurosurgery. 2017 Mar 1;80(3S):S61-S69. doi: 10.1093/neuros/nyw081.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28350948 (View on PubMed)

Epstein NE. A review article on the benefits of early mobilization following spinal surgery and other medical/surgical procedures. Surg Neurol Int. 2014 Apr 16;5(Suppl 3):S66-73. doi: 10.4103/2152-7806.130674. eCollection 2014.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24843814 (View on PubMed)

Guzman JZ, Cutler HS, Connolly J, Skovrlj B, Mroz TE, Riew KD, Cho SK. Patient-Reported Outcome Instruments in Spine Surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2016 Mar;41(5):429-37. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000001211.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26571179 (View on PubMed)

Lu TC, Fu CM, Ma MH, Fang CC, Turner AM. Healthcare Applications of Smart Watches. A Systematic Review. Appl Clin Inform. 2016 Sep 14;7(3):850-69. doi: 10.4338/ACI-2016-03-R-0042.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27623763 (View on PubMed)

Reeder B, David A. Health at hand: A systematic review of smart watch uses for health and wellness. J Biomed Inform. 2016 Oct;63:269-276. doi: 10.1016/j.jbi.2016.09.001. Epub 2016 Sep 6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27612974 (View on PubMed)

Henriksen A, Haugen Mikalsen M, Woldaregay AZ, Muzny M, Hartvigsen G, Hopstock LA, Grimsgaard S. Using Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches to Measure Physical Activity in Research: Analysis of Consumer Wrist-Worn Wearables. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Mar 22;20(3):e110. doi: 10.2196/jmir.9157.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29567635 (View on PubMed)

Mobbs RJ, Phan K, Maharaj M, Rao PJ. Physical Activity Measured with Accelerometer and Self-Rated Disability in Lumbar Spine Surgery: A Prospective Study. Global Spine J. 2016 Aug;6(5):459-64. doi: 10.1055/s-0035-1565259. Epub 2015 Oct 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27433430 (View on PubMed)

Phan K, Mobbs RJ. Long-Term Objective Physical Activity Measurements using a Wireless Accelerometer Following Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Interbody Fusion Surgery. Asian Spine J. 2016 Apr;10(2):366-9. doi: 10.4184/asj.2016.10.2.366. Epub 2016 Apr 15.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27114781 (View on PubMed)

Breteler MJ, Janssen JH, Spiering W, Kalkman CJ, van Solinge WW, Dohmen DA. Measuring Free-Living Physical Activity With Three Commercially Available Activity Monitors for Telemonitoring Purposes: Validation Study. JMIR Form Res. 2019 Apr 24;3(2):e11489. doi: 10.2196/11489.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 31017587 (View on PubMed)

Veerabhadrappa P, Moran MD, Renninger MD, Rhudy MB, Dreisbach SB, Gift KM. Tracking Steps on Apple Watch at Different Walking Speeds. J Gen Intern Med. 2018 Jun;33(6):795-796. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4332-y.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29633143 (View on PubMed)

Xie J, Wen D, Liang L, Jia Y, Gao L, Lei J. Evaluating the Validity of Current Mainstream Wearable Devices in Fitness Tracking Under Various Physical Activities: Comparative Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2018 Apr 12;6(4):e94. doi: 10.2196/mhealth.9754.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29650506 (View on PubMed)

Maldaner N, Tang M, Fatemi P, Leung C, Desai A, Tomkins-Lane C, Zygourakis C. Standardizing Physical Activity Monitoring in Patients With Degenerative Lumbar Disorders. Neurosurgery. 2024 Apr 1;94(4):788-796. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002755. Epub 2023 Nov 13.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37955445 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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52367

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id