The Effectiveness of Technology-Supported Exercise Therapy for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review
Thomas Matheve1, Simon Brumagne, Annick A A Timmermans
1From the Rehabilitation Research Center (REVAL), Biomed, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium (TM, AAAT); and KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium (SB).
American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
|September 2, 2016
Summary
Technology-supported exercise therapy (TSET) may improve pain and disability for low back pain patients. Combining TSET with standard care shows potential benefits over standard care alone.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
- Physical Therapy
Background:
- Low back pain is a prevalent condition necessitating effective treatment strategies.
- Technological advancements offer new avenues for enhancing exercise therapy.
- Technology-supported exercise therapy (TSET) aims to improve patient outcomes and adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess the effectiveness of TSET programs for low back pain.
- To provide an overview of available TSET interventions for low back pain management.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until January 2016.
- Searched databases including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, PEDro, IEEE, and ACM.
- Included RCTs utilizing electronic technological systems alongside exercise therapy for low back pain.
Main Results:
- Twenty-five RCTs met the inclusion criteria; 17 focused on chronic low back pain.
- Electromyography biofeedback was the most common TSET modality.
- TSET may improve pain, disability, and quality of life, potentially outperforming standard care alone.
Conclusions:
- TSET shows promise for improving outcomes in low back pain patients.
- Current evidence suggests TSET is not superior to other interventions or placebo, possibly due to analytical limitations.
- Further research is needed due to the limited number of RCTs for most individual TSET systems.
