The role of Technology-Assisted Interventions in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Abstract

Physiotherapy specialising on the musculoskeletal system offers non-invasive treatment options for many health issues. Due to poor self-efficacy and a lack of supervision, fitness programmes are currently not very popular. One potential answer to this issue might be the adoption of mHealth interventions, which would assist encourage self-management at home. On the other hand, musculoskeletal physiotherapy's best mHealth practices are not well-supported by research. The purpose of this PAER is to review the research on mobile health applications in musculoskeletal physical therapy and to provide conclusions based on those findings. In March 2022, researchers in Saudi Arabia performed a scoping study of six datasets that had been peer-reviewed. Only items published in English were chosen, and there were no restrictions on the dates. Data extraction followed article screening by two more researchers who randomly selected a subset of the papers. Despite high levels of patient satisfaction with mHealth, disengagement was seen due to issues such as slow internet and a lack of high-quality information. Short training periods and unfamiliarity with the technique were obstacles to its clinical acceptance. One area where mHealth shows promise is in improving treatment adherence; it has the ability to be both more cost-efficient and just as effective as traditional physiotherapy care. Currently, mHealth works best when a healthcare provider can provide continuous feedback.