The likes of Fitbits, Garmins or Apple Watches can be cheap and effective tools that enhance the journey towards recovery in hospital, according to research from the University of South Australia.

They found that wearable activity trackers could help patients recover faster during a hospitalisation, potentially easing pressures on overburdened hospital systems.

Published in the Jama Network Open, the systematic review and meta-analysis found that when hospital patients wore activity trackers, they were more active, less sedentary and had improved physical function compared with patients undergoing usual care in hospital, and this helped speed recovery.

Examining 15 studies with a combined total of 1911 patients undergoing stroke rehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, mixed rehabilitation, and various medical and surgical cohorts, the study found patients achieved: 826 daily steps more than usual care; ten minutes more per day of active time compared with usual care; and 36 minutes less per day of sedentary behaviour.

UniSA PhD candidate and accredited exercise physiologist Kimberley Szeto said wearable activity trackers could accelerate patient recovery during a hospital stay due to their ability to improve patient activity and reduce sedentary behaviour.

“Hospital stays are often marked by extreme patient inactivity, which, paradoxically, can exacerbate other health issues, and lead to longer hospital stays,” Szeto said. “A lack of movement during a hospital stay can trigger a cascade of negative outcomes, from functional decline and frailty to disability, and even higher mortality risks.”

Szeto said wearable activity trackers such as Fitbits were a great intervention for improving physical activity and sedentary behaviour during a hospital stay. This can also lead to improvements in clinical outcomes for patients, such as physical function, which refers to the patient’s ability to perform daily activities, such balancing and walking to where they need to go.

“While 826 steps may not sound like a lot, the improvements that our study found are substantial, with other studies showing that increasing daily step counts by even 250 to 500 steps is associated with a reduced risk for prolonged hospitalisation, discharge to non-home locations and readmission,” she said.

Senior researcher Carol Maher said wearable activity trackers were a promising intervention for improving patient activity and recovery during a hospitalisation.

“The strain of hospital visits on the health system is significant,” she said. “Wearable activity trackers are a cheap and effective tool that notably enhances the journey towards recovery.”