Making Waves: Leveraging Instagram to Raise Evidence-Based Awareness for Aquatic Therapy

Research Objectives: To analyze engagement of Instagram users with a dedicated aqua therapy center’s Instagram posts and identify factors that contribute to higher engagement

Design: Retrospective review of 196 Instagram posts, from January 2022 to March 2023

Setting: Instagram account of Aquamax Rehab & Wellness centre

Participants: Instagram users who engaged with the posts

Interventions: Instagram posts for rehabilitation cases and wellness exercises conducted by certified aquatic physiotherapists

Main Outcome Measures: Engagement of Instagram users with Instagram posts

Results: Instagram account gained 942 followers in the first five months (May 2022) and 1535 followers after 12 months (January 2023), which increased to 12,000 in next three months (March 2023), which concurred with the accounts reached (1485, 15800, 29600, 2.6 million) and accounts engaged (83,497, 866, 124,000), p=0.41 ns. There was a significant correlation between accounts reached vs followers (Pearson r = 0.99, 95% CI 0.93 to 1, p=0.0013 and a highly significant correlation between accounts reached vs accounts engaged (Pearson r = 1, 95% CI 0.99 to 1, p< 0.0001). There were 18 reels for patients’ outcomes which yielded mean views (287,935±694430, 95% CI -57,397 to 633,267), likes (6503±24506, 95% CI -5683 to 18,690), saves (1789±6750, 95% CI -1568 to 5145), shares (34,602±145104, 95% CI -37557 to 106670), comments (20,402±86499, 95% CI -22613 to 63417), p=0.11. There was significant correlation between views for patient reels vs likes (Pearson r = 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 99), vs saves (Pearson r = 0.98, 95% CI 0.96 to 99), vs shares (Pearson r = 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 99), and comments (Pearson r = 0.97, 95% CI 0.93 to 99), p< 0.0001

Conclusions: There was a significant increase in the follower count and reach, with a highly significant correlation between the accounts reached and engaged. Patient outcome reels generated high levels of engagement, with significant correlations between views, likes, saves, shares, and comments. Instagram can be an effective tool for promoting rehabilitation and wellness initiatives, and the use of patient outcome reels may increase user engagement.

Author(s) Disclosures: Nothing