Effectiveness and Challenges of Tele-Physiotherapy Compared to In-Person Care in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59994/ajamts.2025.1.5Keywords:
Tele-Physiotherapy, In-Person Physiotherapy, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Pain ManagementAbstract
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major cause of pain and disability, and while in-person physiotherapy remains the standard treatment, tele-rehabilitation has emerged as an accessible alternative. This research aimed to determine which method—remote physiotherapy sessions or traditional face-to-face physiotherapy—performed better in treating musculoskeletal pain. The study included 40 participants with musculoskeletal pain, randomly assigned to either the tele-physiotherapy or in-person physiotherapy group, and all participants received a structured rehabilitation program over two weeks. Outcomes were measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) for functional disability. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in pain intensity and functional disability, with no statistically significant differences between them (p > 0.05); within-group comparisons showed significant reductions in pain scores and disability indices (p < 0.001). Patient satisfaction was high in both groups, though slightly higher in the in-person group (95% vs. 85%). However, technical challenges, such as internet connectivity issues and difficulties in following exercise instructions, were more frequently reported by the tele-physiotherapy group. Despite these challenges, tele-physiotherapy proved to be a practical and comparably effective method to traditional in-person physiotherapy for managing musculoskeletal conditions, achieving similar outcomes in pain reduction and functional recovery.
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