Artificial Intelligence Readiness and Rehabilitation Technology Use Among Physiotherapists: A Cross-Sectional Study

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate physiotherapists' artificial intelligence (AI)-related characteristics and rehabilitation technology-related characteristics and to identify factors independently associated with rehabilitation technology use during patient follow-up.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 140 physiotherapists actively practicing in Türkiye. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing sociodemographic, rehabilitation technology-related, and AI-related characteristics, together with researcher-developed items addressing perceptions of rehabilitation technologies and AI in physiotherapy. Descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson's chi-square test, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed.Results: Only 16.4% of participants had received formal AI education, whereas 82.9% reported previous use of at least one AI platform. However, only 23.6% reported using rehabilitation technologies during patient follow-up. AI use frequency and self-rated ethical AI knowledge were higher among non-users of rehabilitation technologies than among users (both p=0.006), and institutional access also differed significantly between groups (p<0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, institutional access was the only factor independently associated with rehabilitation technology use (limited access: OR=13.14, 95% CI: 2.83–61.01, p=0.001; active access: OR=7.04, 95% CI: 1.08–46.11, p=0.042).Conclusions: Although AI platform use was common among physiotherapists, formal AI education and the clinical use of rehabilitation technologies remained limited. Institutional access was independently associated with rehabilitation technology use; however, the non-monotonic effect estimates across limited and active access categories warrant cautious interpretation. Expanding structured educational opportunities and institutional technological infrastructure may facilitate the integration of AI and rehabilitation technologies into physiotherapy practice.