Self-management and rehabilitation in osteoarthritis: is there a place for internet-based interventions?

The electronic databases Cochrane, MEDLINE, and SCOPUS were searched to collect evidence on the impact of community-based Internet interventions for adult patients with osteoarthritis (OA) on health outcomes. Five studies met our review criteria. We found that Internet-based OA self-management interventions modestly but significantly improved four of six health status measures compared with usual care and have been met with high acceptance and high user satisfaction. Preventive physiotherapy exercise delivered via videoconferencing for patients with OA-related knee pain significantly improved health measures including pain, stiffness, and physical function compared with the initial health status. Postoperative rehabilitation performed by a physical therapist via videoconferencing and "in-person" resulted in similar health measure improvements. The review findings show that the Internet may be successfully used as a medium for providing community-based self-management and rehabilitation interventions in OA.