A new study shows it is now possible to perform first-line treatment for knee osteoarthritis without a need for a face to face physiotherapist. This treatment is very effective, delivered digitally and there is no need for the patient to have a face-to-face treatment with the physiotherapy.
The study led by Professor Ana Valdes from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre in Nottingham, is singlehandedly undertaken by the University of Nottingham and they made use of Joint Academy’s evidence-based digital and clinical treatment for chronic joint pain. It is a very helpful research as it helps to reduce hospitals’ waiting lists drastically. Also, NHIS is expected to spend £118.6 billion to treat people suffering from arthritis between 2017 and 2027 only. In another research, patients with arthritis that received digital treatments in the UK got their pain reduced by 41% while those that got treated with usual care got their pain reduced by merely 6%.
The professor in orthopaedics and chief medical officer at Joint Academy, Leif Dahlberg, said: “We already knew that digital first-line treatment considerably improves indications of osteoarthritis at a significantly cheap cost when compared to face-to-face care. This research is the first randomized organized trial that demonstrates clinically significant developments of digital treatment compared to the traditional one and firmly establishes how effective digital treatment truly is concerning old-style self-management care.”
In the study, a total of 105 people were selected and they are 45 years and above with knee osteoarthritis condition. They were shuffled and divided into two groups – one of which were treated digitally and the second group were allowed to manage their symptoms themselves under NICE guidelines. Patients in the first group (digital treatment) were linked with their respective licensed physiotherapists through a smartphone application where they received special training, education and daily exercises to cure their illness.
On the other hand, patients in the second group were allowed to maintain their ole self-treatment method while following the NICE guidelines and they were only allowed to visit their general practitioner when needed. Apart from the fact that the digitally-treated group feel lesser pain, they also get up to a 48% increase in their physical function. The traditionally-treated group got only a 13% increase in physical function.
According to a researcher and physiotherapist at the University of Nottingham, Sameer Akram Gohir: “The results of the research show how much can be achieved by using the digital method in treating chronic knee pain, and this will help reduce the load on the NHS, especially during a pandemic like COVID-19 where services are already stretched. We hope this research gives room to health policy-makers to ponder on the potential in digital alternatives when it comes to treating knee arthritis.”
The NHS show figures show that about 9 million people in the UK are suffering from osteoarthritis. Also, up to 20% of the English population of 45 years and above are suffering from knee osteoarthritis, according to Arthritis Research UK. However, the recommended first-line treatment such as weight control, education and exercise are not fully utilized.
Professor Dahlberg also added: “The research shows the positive effect that the digital treatment has on the osteoarthritis burden for both patients and healthcare systems. Apart from the beneficial outcomes in pain and physical function, the advantages of digital treatment are also easy accessibility for patients living in remote areas which are far away from a physiotherapist and lower costs.”
