OE JOURNAL
OE Journal
Vol. 9 | Iss. 10 | May 2021 - 24 Studies
ORIGINAL ANALYSIS
Effect of Internet-Based Telerehabilitation on Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Internet-based telerehabilitation is gaining traction as knee osteoarthritis care continues shifting toward accessible, at-home models. Across six randomized trials, the approach consistently produced short-term benefits: patients reported meaningful pain relief by 6 weeks, with improvements persisting into the 12–16-week window. Function also improved at 6 weeks, though those gains didn’t hold later on. Longer-term outcomes at 9–12 months were comparable to usual care, suggesting durability may require ongoing engagement or booster strategies. Safety signals were generally mild and manageable. Still, most evidence was rated low quality, largely due to challenges like unblinded designs and small effect sizes, meaning future, more rigorous studies could shift these conclusions.
Read OriginalFull Issue Content