Can you be a manual therapist without using your hands?

Area of Science:

• Manual Therapy
• Digital Health
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Manual therapists increasingly incorporate exercise and pain education for chronic musculoskeletal pain.
• This commentary advocates for the inclusion of telehealth in manual therapy practices.

Discussion:

• Telehealth offers various delivery modes (real-time, asynchronous) via diverse platforms (apps, VR).
• It shows potential for improving pain and function in musculoskeletal conditions, reducing patient burden.
• Evidence certainty is often low, but enablers like convenience and clinician attention are key.

Key Insights:

• Telehealth can improve patient knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-management.
• Barriers include technology reliability, data privacy, therapeutic alliance challenges, and digital literacy.
• Successful implementation requires user-friendly platforms and evidence-based information.

Outlook:

• Manual therapists should adopt telehealth where beneficial and evidence supports its use.
• Integrating telehealth can expand treatment options for musculoskeletal disorders.
• Further research may clarify optimal telehealth applications in manual medicine.