To characterize existing literature examining the use of mHealth applications specifically for physical therapy in adults with chronic pain eligible for physical therapy.
Key Findings:
42 studies met eligibility criteria, with an average participant age of 51.8 years.
85.7% of studies did not report on participants’ race/ethnicity status.
mHealth interventions included standalone apps, wearables, and web-based content, primarily delivering exercise and/or education.
Most studies examined outcomes immediately or up to 3 months post-intervention, focusing on pain reduction, functional activity, and quality of life.
64.2% of studies were classified as early-stage investigations.
Interpretation:
The review identified significant knowledge gaps, including the need for better characterization of study populations and evaluation of mHealth's impact on older populations, which could guide future research directions.
Limitations:
Lack of reporting on race/ethnicity status in the majority of studies, which may limit generalizability.
Heterogeneity of interventions and study designs may have influenced results, complicating comparisons.
Conclusion:
The findings highlight the necessity for future research to address existing gaps in understanding the effectiveness of mHealth applications in physical therapy for chronic pain management.
In a UK cohort, patients with osteoarthritis who initiated centrally acting analgesics had a higher hazard of knee or hip replacement than those who initiated SSRIs, though residual confounding by pain severity remains a key limitation.
