Home-based cardiac rehabilitation using a smart ring for pulse rate monitoring combined with weekly telephone counselling significantly improved peak oxygen consumption compared to monitoring alone, with a group-by-time interaction showing an estimated mean difference of 2.0 mL/kg/min (95% CI, 0.7–3.3; P = 0.004).
Key Findings
Results
Peak oxygen consumption improved significantly more in the intervention group receiving weekly telephone counselling compared to the control group receiving monitoring alone.
The group-by-time interaction for peak oxygen consumption was statistically significant (estimated mean difference, 2.0 mL/kg/min; 95% CI, 0.7–3.3; P = 0.004).
Analysis was performed as intention-to-treat among 64 randomized patients (32 per group).
Both groups showed improvement in peak oxygen consumption over time.
The intervention consisted of 3 months of home-based cardiac rehabilitation training followed by repeat cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
Results
Peak oxygen consumption increased over time in both the intervention and control groups during the 3-month home-based cardiac rehabilitation program.
Both groups underwent a symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) at baseline and after 3 months of training.
The control group recorded exercise data via smart ring and website upload without additional counselling interventions.
Improvement occurred even without telephone counselling, suggesting benefit from structured HB-CR and monitoring alone.
Patients were educated on structured HB-CR methods following the baseline CPET.
Methods
A smart ring equipped with photoplethysmography was used to monitor pulse rate during home-based cardiac rehabilitation exercise sessions, with data uploaded to a website for medical staff review.
The smart ring recorded pulse rate (PR) during exercise sessions.
Recorded PR data were uploaded to a website via smartphone and monitored by medical staff.
Patients were instructed to wear the device during exercise sessions.
This represents a technology-enabled approach to address barriers to traditional center-based cardiac rehabilitation.
Methods
The intervention group received weekly telephone counselling and encouragement to maintain optimal physical activity levels, while the control group only recorded exercise data without additional interventions.
64 patients with cardiovascular disease were randomized to intervention or control groups (32 per group).
The intervention group received weekly telephone counselling over the 3-month program.
The control group recorded exercise data without receiving counselling or additional support.
The study was registered with Clinical Research Information Service, Identifier: KCT0005893.
Conclusions
Home-based cardiac rehabilitation using a smart device was effective in improving oxygen consumption, but appropriate monitoring and timely counselling by medical professionals were identified as important for improved outcomes.
The authors concluded that HB-CR with smart device monitoring is effective for improving cardiorespiratory fitness.
The additional benefit of telephone counselling (estimated mean difference of 2.0 mL/kg/min) highlights the importance of human interaction in HB-CR programs.
The study identified lack of communication between patients and medical staff as a key barrier to HB-CR implementation.
HB-CR was proposed as a promising alternative to center-based cardiac rehabilitation due to its enhanced accessibility.
What This Means
This research suggests that cardiac rehabilitation done at home using a smart ring to track heart rate during exercise can meaningfully improve patients' cardiovascular fitness. The study enrolled 64 people with cardiovascular disease who were taught how to exercise safely at home after undergoing fitness testing on a treadmill or cycle. All participants wore a smart ring that recorded their pulse during workouts, with the data sent to a website for medical staff to review. Half the participants also received weekly phone calls from medical staff to encourage them and help them stay on track, while the other half only recorded their data without any additional contact. After three months, both groups improved their peak oxygen consumption — a key measure of heart and lung fitness — but the group receiving weekly phone counselling improved significantly more, by an average of 2.0 mL/kg/min.
This research suggests that combining wearable technology with regular human contact from healthcare providers produces better results than technology alone. The phone counselling appeared to play an important role in motivating patients and ensuring they were exercising at appropriate levels. This is notable because one of the main challenges with home-based cardiac rehabilitation has historically been the lack of regular communication between patients and their medical team.
The findings matter because many patients who would benefit from cardiac rehabilitation after a heart event never attend traditional hospital- or clinic-based programs due to barriers like transportation, work schedules, or geography. A home-based approach using an affordable wearable device combined with telephone support could make cardiac rehabilitation more accessible to a broader population of heart patients, potentially improving long-term heart health outcomes for people who otherwise would not participate in formal rehabilitation.
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Kim C, Jun S, Yoo J, Cho H, Jeon D, Oh S, et al.. (2026). Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Using a Smart Ring and Telephone Counselling: A Randomized Controlled Trial.. Journal of Korean medical science. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e260