Her research team searched for “ACL rehab exercises” on TikTok to compile a sample of 106 videos for the study: 55 created by ordinary users and 51 by healthcare professionals.
The quality of the videos was assessed using the Modified DISCERN tool, a standard questionnaire used in medical research to evaluate the reliability and quality of online health information.
The verdict? The videos were of poor overall quality, although those from healthcare professionals did score higher than those from lay users.
But even the professional content had significant limitations, Nault noted. The problem stems in part from TikTok’s short-video format, which forces creators to drastically simplify information.
The videos were scored on criteria such as problem definition, symptoms, treatments and management advice. It is difficult to cover all these points in a bite-sized clip designed primarily to grab attention, Nault observed.
Designed to entertain
Many of the videos were not really intended to convey useful medical information.
A post billed as a video about shoulder dislocations might turn out to be a humorous skit or a dance without any real medical content. Even after videos clearly identified as humorous were excluded, many posts that contained little information still remained.
Nault found a disconnect between popularity and educational quality.
“The problem is amplified by TikTok’s algorithm,” Nault explained. “The most-viewed videos aren’t necessarily the most useful. In our study, content from ordinary users garnered far more views and followers than posts from healthcare professionals.”
Nevertheless, Nault encourages healthcare professionals to increase their online presence, since young people (and not only them) will continue to seek answers on social media.
“Of course, creating content takes time, energy and a certain comfort level in front of the camera,” Nault said. “But despite the challenges, I believe it’s worth it.
"Given that teens are going to TikTok to get information about their injuries, the question to ask isn’t whether they should be doing it, but rather what they will find there.”
Real consequences for injured teens
Nault considers this an important issue. Teenagers who turns to TikTok after an injury are liable to find a jumble of fragmented information that doesn’t really explain their condition. They may see exercises without knowing why they’re important, how to do them correctly or in what order to incorporate them into their rehabilitation.
With an ACL tear, which is one of the most common injuries seen in orthopedic surgery, this confusion can have serious consequences. Rehabilitation is long, demanding and must be strictly supervised.
“Once the injury occurs, not only can recovery take 9 to 12 months, there is also a risk of recurrence if recommendations for returning to sports are not followed strictly,” Nault said.
Treatment generally includes rehabilitation with a physiotherapist, immobilization with a brace and, depending on the severity, surgery is often necessary.
Nault leaves young patients with this bottom line: be patient and trust your healthcare professionals.
