Digital Rehabilitation Interventions for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Clinical Effectiveness and Implementation Challenges
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.57.72526Keywords
telerehabilitation, physiotherapy, musculoskeletal disorders, musculoskeletal diseases, low back pain, osteoarthritis, chronic knee pain, knee osteoarthritis, hand osteoarthritis, chronic shoulder pain, chronic whiplash-associated disordersAbstract
Background:
Telerehabilitation has emerged as a promising model of care in the physiotherapy of
musculoskeletal disorders due to its accessibility, convenience, and potential to reduce the
burden associated with travel. However, it remains unclear to what extent telerehabilitation
can replace face-to-face treatment and which patient groups may derive the greatest clinical
benefit from this approach.
Aim:
The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness, safety, and clinical usefulness of
telerehabilitation in selected musculoskeletal disorders.
Methods:
A comprehensive literature search for this review was conducted at PubMed and Google
Scholar to identify studies evaluating the use of telerehabilitation in selected musculoskeletal
disorders. A total of 18 studies were thoroughly screened and applied in this literature review
due to its accuracy.
Results:
The reviewed evidence indicates that telerehabilitation is in most cases comparable or
non-inferior to in-person physiotherapy in selected musculoskeletal disorders.. The most
favorable outcomes were observed in interventions that preserved the key components of
rehabilitation, including a structured exercise program, therapist supervision, treatment
progression, and regular follow-up. Across the included studies, improvement was reported
primarily in pain, functional performance, and selected patient-reported outcomes. A proper
safety and acceptability of this form of therapy was confirmed, while serious adverse events
were reported rarely or not at all.
Conclusions:
Telerehabilitation appears to be a valid and clinically useful rehabilitation option in selected
musculoskeletal disorders. Its effectiveness seems to depend more on therapeutic structure
and professional supervision than on remote delivery alone. Further multicenter studies are
needed to define diagnosis-specific indications and identify patients most likely to benefit
from this model of care.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Wiktoria Bajek, Joanna Falana, Maciej Łydka, Iga Machała, Julia Łaciak, Natalia Libudzic, Kinga Lichtarska, Piotr Granatowski, Justyna Lewandowska, Anna Gwóźdź
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