The Role of Home-Based Exercise in Managing Common Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal Health
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Low adherence to supervised exercise for musculoskeletal conditions is linked to environmental, financial, and support barriers.
• Home-based exercise presents a viable alternative to address adherence challenges.
• Six prevalent musculoskeletal disorders were targeted for home-based exercise interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and discuss home-based resistance exercise protocols for six common musculoskeletal disorders.
• To identify effective exercise strategies for conditions like shoulder impingement and knee osteoarthritis.
• To synthesize evidence on the implementation of home-based resistance training.

Main Methods:

• A narrative literature review was performed using PubMed.
• Searched for studies on shoulder impingement syndrome, low back pain, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, knee osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and Achilles tendinopathy.
• Included clinical trials, reviews, and retrospective studies from the last 30 years with detailed exercise protocols.

Main Results:

• Long-term benefits observed for shoulder impingement syndrome.
• Quadriceps and hip strengthening improved pain and function in patellofemoral pain syndrome and greater trochanteric pain syndrome.
• Pilates and core training showed pain relief for low back pain; eccentric training aided Achilles tendinopathy.

Conclusions:

• Home-based resistance exercises provide pain reduction, functional improvement, and enhanced motor control.
• These protocols offer general health benefits for individuals with musculoskeletal disorders.
• Accessible home-based exercise programs are effective for managing prevalent musculoskeletal conditions.