The Australian Physiotherapy Association has recently been highlighting research around internet delivered physiotherapy services.

A study found evidence that internet-delivered treatments are effective in managing chronic knee pain. The 148 people with chronic knee pain participated in this study were allocated into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group had seven Skype consultations for prescription of a home exercise program and also independently completed an online pain coping skills training program over three months, while the control group received online educational material only.

The results showed that the intervention group had significantly greater improvements in pain and physical function at three months which were sustained at their nine month follow up. The study was conducted equally in urban and regional areas, and showed definite evidence-based effectiveness of this innovative digitally based consultation process.

The evidence was supported by another recent telerehab study on cardiac patients, which conducted at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital and The Prince Charles Hospital. The researchers allocated people with chronic heart failure randomly to two forms of rehab: traditional hospital-based program and at home similar exercise with remote video supervision by a physiotherapist.

The results showed that the two methods were considered to be equally beneficial. However, participants were 2.4 times more likely to participate in telerehab sessions compared to those attending the outpatient clinic.

Both studies showed that telerehab and digitally based therapy provide a more accessible and equitable health system for older Australians, those living in rural and remote areas and those with mobility issues.

In light of the findings, the Australian Physiotherapy Association has once again called on the federal government to use the opportunity of the Medicare benefits review to allow for reimbursements for digital based health consultations, including group sessions. The APA is also calling on private health insurers to do the same thing.

More articles on My Health Career:

• APA statement on physio role in acute ankle sprain management
• Kindness and compassion to avoid practitioner burnout and aid patient healing
• Exercise Physiology interventions give over 10:1 benefit to cost ratio

Image: Stuart Miles