Sensing-glove System in Manual Therapy

Effect of Two Facilitating Interventions on the Acceptability and Usability Towards a Sensing-glove System to Measure Force-time Characteristics of Spinal Manipulative Therapy: a Mixed-methods Cross-over Study

The objective of this clinical trial is to assess manual therapists' attitudes towards using a sensing-glove system for measuring spinal manipulation force and to compare the effectiveness of two interventions in enhancing their attitudes. The primary questions it aims to address are:

• Are manual therapists receptive to employing a sensing-glove system to measure the force applied during spinal manipulations on patients?
• Can we enhance manual therapists' attitudes towards this system through either a brief informational video demonstration or a supervised practice session with the system?

Researchers will compare the impact of a 7-minute informational video to that of a 20-minute supervised practice session to determine if manual therapists' attitudes towards the use of a sensing-glove while treating their patients can be positively influenced.

Participants will:

• Engage in a single experimental session.
• Complete a questionnaire at the beginning of the experimental session.
• Undergo one of the two interventions and promptly complete two questionnaires following this intervention.
• Undergo the other intervention and promptly complete the same two questionnaires following this intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Spinal Manipulation
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Video; Other: Practice session

Detailed Description

This study aimed to evaluate manual therapists' acceptability of a sensing-glove system for measuring spinal manipulation's force-time characteristics and compare the effectiveness of two interventions in enhancing their acceptability and usability perception. Participants will undergo two acceptability-enhancing interventions in randomized order: a 7-minute informational video and a 20-minute supervised practice session. At the start of the session and after each intervention, the acceptability and perception of usability towards the system will be assessed.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 16
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Quebec
    • Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada, G8Z 4M3
      • Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a licensed chiropractor or a last-year intern in a University outpatient chiropractic clinic

Exclusion Criteria:

• Reported any upper limb injury preventing them from executing manual therapies during the time of the study
• Previous experience with the sensing-glove system

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Video followed by practice; Participants will initially view a 7-minute informational video followed by a 20-minute supervised practice session with the sensing-glove system. Acceptability and usability perception will be assessed after each intervention.	Other: Video; A 7-minute video demonstrating the sensing-glove system, how it can be used to assess manual therapy biomechanics, and its relevance in research and clinical contexts. The video was created by the research team via a voiceover PowerPoint presentation.; Other: Practice session; A 20-minute practice session during which participants received verbal information about the sensing-glove system. While wearing the sensing glove, participants performed palpation and manual therapy techniques (palpation, spinal mobilization/manipulation to the cervical and thoracic spine) on a human-sized manikin, guided by the researcher.
Experimental: Practice followed by video; Participants will initially participate in a 20-minute supervised practice session with the sensing-glove system followed by viewing a 7-minute informational video. Acceptability and usability perception will be assessed after each intervention.	Other: Video; A 7-minute video demonstrating the sensing-glove system, how it can be used to assess manual therapy biomechanics, and its relevance in research and clinical contexts. The video was created by the research team via a voiceover PowerPoint presentation.; Other: Practice session; A 20-minute practice session during which participants received verbal information about the sensing-glove system. While wearing the sensing glove, participants performed palpation and manual therapy techniques (palpation, spinal mobilization/manipulation to the cervical and thoracic spine) on a human-sized manikin, guided by the researcher.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Acceptability	French version of the questionnaire based on the extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2). A higher score indicates a higher level of acceptability.	Immediately following each intervention and at baseline
Usability	French version of the System usability scale (F-SUS). A higher score indicates a higher level of usability.	Immediately following each intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Isabelle Pagé, DC, PhD, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 31, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 22, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 22, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 29, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 30, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 25, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Acceptability; Usability; Manual therapy; Chiropractic; Force-time characteristics
• Other Study ID Numbers: UQTR_IP_Acceptabilite_2021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No