Comparing telerehabilitation and conventional physical therapy for chronic neck and back pain in caregivers of individuals with special needs

BackgroundChronic neck and back pain is a prevalent issue among caregivers of individuals with special needs, often worsened by the physical and emotional demands of caregiving. Telerehabilitation has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional physiotherapy, offering accessible, home-based interventions.ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of telerehabilitation and conventional physiotherapy in reducing pain, fatigue, and caregiver burden while improving quality of life in caregivers with chronic neck and back pain.MethodsThirty caregivers aged 20-60 with chronic neck and back pain were enrolled in a randomized, controlled trial. Group 1 (telerehabilitation) received a structured, digitally monitored exercise program for 12 weeks. Group 2 (conventional physiotherapy) received 4 weeks of supervised in-person treatment, followed by 8 weeks of unsupervised home exercises. Group 3 served as a control group.ResultsThe telerehabilitation group demonstrated greater improvements across all outcomes compared to both the conventional physiotherapy and control groups. However, differences in follow-up intensity and supervision may have contributed to these findings.ConclusionsTelerehabilitation appears to be an effective and practical alternative to conventional physiotherapy for caregivers, particularly when in-person access is limited. Interpretation of findings should consider variations in delivery and monitoring across groups.