Effectiveness of tele-rehabilitation in patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of tele-rehabilitation (TR) compared to conventional rehabilitation (CT) in reducing pain (as measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale [NPRS]) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Secondary objectives included assessing changes in physical function and quality of life, as measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey, respectively.

Methods: Fifty-five patients diagnosed with knee OA were randomly allocated to either the TR group (n = 29), receiving remote physiotherapy sessions three times a week for four weeks, or the CT group (n = 26), undergoing traditional outpatient rehabilitation with the same exercise regimen. Outcomes were measured at baseline and after a three-month follow-up period.

Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences between groups in terms of NPRS and WOMAC scores. After three months, both the CT and the TR groups showed significant improvements in pain reduction (NPRS, p < 0.001), WOMAC score (p < 0.001), and in some subscales of the SF-36 (i.e., physical functioning, role limitation attributable to physical problems, energy, and pain).

Conclusion: Tele-rehabilitation is an effective alternative to CT for reducing pain and improving quality of life in patients with knee OA. These findings suggest that TR can be incorporated alongside conventional approaches to provide a comprehensive treatment strategy for managing knee OA, enhancing patient outcomes in various dimensions of well-being. Trial registration NCT05719350; Telerehabilitation in Patients With Osteoarthritis (TABLET).