Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41749676›Full record

ReviewBioengineering (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Effects of Exercise-Based Telerehabilitation for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and a Study Protocol.

Giacomo Farì, Francesco Quarta, Federica Bressi, Raffaele La Russa, Teresa Paolucci, Andrea Bernetti

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Giacomo FarìDepartment of Experimental Medicine (Di.Me.S), University of Salento, Piazza Tancredi, 7, 73100 Lecce, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9953-5635
Francesco QuartaDepartment of Biological and Environmental Science and Technologies (Di.S.Te.B.A.), University of Salento, Piazza Tancredi, 7, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
Federica BressiPhysical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Campus Bio-Medico University Polyclinic Foundation of Rome, Via Álvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128 Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5462-2743
Raffaele La RussaDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Piazza Santa Margherita, 2, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-3433-7122
Teresa PaolucciDepartment of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences (DSMOB), G. D'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini, 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.ORCID 0009-0000-3410-4834
Andrea BernettiDepartment of Experimental Medicine (Di.Me.S), University of Salento, Piazza Tancredi, 7, 73100 Lecce, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-0204-9831

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKnee osteoarthritis causes considerable pain and disability. Telerehabilitation has emerged as a promising treatment option, especially after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic, but it still faces challenges regarding solid scientific evidence about its multiple benefits. This systematic review aimed to analyze the reported beneficial effects of telerehabilitation based on therapeutic exercise for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Methodsː PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were used to identify eligible studies. This review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was registered at PROSPERO (n° CRD42024579836). The selected studies underwent a qualitative assessment using the Modified Jadad Score.

resultsTen studies, including a total of 1354 participants, were included. From the selected studies, a wide variety of outcome measures emerged to evaluate the efficacy of telerehabilitation in the relief of pain and its clinical consequences. Seven studies specifically assessed pain, with four showing significant improvements in pain reduction in the intervention group compared with the control group. Telerehabilitation was found to be more effective or non-inferior to traditional rehabilitation in relieving pain, as reported across various pain scales. Limitations include the heterogeneity of interventions, the exclusion of non-recent studies, and the exclusive focus on therapeutic exercise. Conclusionsː The results of this systematic review suggest that telerehabilitation provides pain relief, improves physical function, and enhances quality of life, while preliminary evidence indicates potential cost-related advantages. However, some studies did not find TR to be superior to control interventions, highlighting mixed evidence. Additional high-quality studies are required to better support this promising rehabilitation approach.

Indexed as

digital medicinekneeosteoarthritisrehabilitationsystematic reviewtelemedicine

Identifiers

PMID41749676
PMCPMC12938637

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.