{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,30]],"date-time":"2026-05-30T02:52:38Z","timestamp":1780109558100,"version":"3.54.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,21]],"date-time":"2024-10-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1729468800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Digit. Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Facial palsy after vestibular schwannoma surgery is temporary in many cases but can significantly affect patients\u2019 quality of life. Physical training\u2014initially guided and subsequently performed by the patient\u2014is of paramount importance for recovery of facial nerve function. The introduction of medical application software (apps) might improve therapy by maintaining motivation for daily home-based training and surveilling patients\u2019 rehabilitation progress.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>We developed a mobile app, \u201cFACEsemper\u201d, for home-based facial nerve rehabilitation. This app guides patients through a daily training program comprising six variable exercises, each performed in three repetitions. The app allows the user to customize the exercise intensity for different facial areas and includes a reminder function for daily training. Additional features include photo documentation, a calendar function, training report generation, and the possibility of direct communication with the attending physician. The app's usability was prospectively investigated with 27 subjects, including 8 physicians, 9 patients with facial palsy and 10 healthy subjects, over a two-week period. Usability was assessed using various self-rating questionnaires (i.e., mHealth App Usability Questionnaire, MAUQ; System Usability Scale, SUS; Visual Aesthetics of Apps Inventory, VisAAI) and scores were compared across the groups.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>The participants reported an average smartphone use of 12.19 years and completed a mean number of 290\u2009\u00b1\u2009163 facial exercises during the study period. Patients used the app significantly more frequently than the other two groups (<jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.017). The average total scores of the questionnaires were: MAUQ 5.67\/7, SUS 89.6\/100, VisAAI 5.88\/7 and specific rating 6.13\/7. In particular, the simplicity of use and craftsmanship of the app were rated very highly. Usability scores did not significantly differ between groups. A primary limitation identified was malfunction of the daily reminder feature in some Android versions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>This usability study demonstrated a positive user experience and excellent usability of the FACEsemper app. However, some limitations and areas for improvement were identified. As a next step, the app should be evaluated in a large patient cohort with facial palsy to determine its potential medical benefits for facial rehabilitation compared to traditional training methods.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fdgth.2024.1471426","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,21]],"date-time":"2024-10-21T05:10:25Z","timestamp":1729487425000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Innovative mobile app solution for facial nerve rehabilitation: a usability 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