Digital Exercise Therapy and Telerehabilitation for Osteoarthritis

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with adults who have knee, hip, or hand osteoarthritis, and who are considering or already delivering exercise programs supported by apps, websites, text messaging, or telephone contact.

Licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants in outpatient orthopedics, home health, community rehabilitation, and telehealth settings. Content is also relevant to rehabilitation managers evaluating remote care programs. Physical therapist assistants work under the direction of a physical therapist and contribute to the delivery of the plan of care established by the therapist.

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course reports the findings of a single peer-reviewed systematic review and meta-analysis. No claims, figures, or recommendations beyond that source have been added.

Long J, You J, Yang Y. Effect of Digital Exercise Therapy on the Pain and Physical Function of Patients With Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2025;27:e66037. doi: 10.2196/66037. Review protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023484819).

Published open access under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Any treatment recommendations described in this course belong to the authors of that review and are attributed to them throughout.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the population, the joint sites, and the types of digitally delivered exercise programs included in this systematic review of osteoarthritis care.
2. State what the review found for pain and for physical function immediately after the intervention period and at later follow-up.
3. Explain the limitations the authors identified and the conclusion they reached about the role of digital exercise therapy in osteoarthritis rehabilitation.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. Podcast: Digital Exercise Therapy for Osteoarthritis (about nine minutes)
3. Osteoarthritis, Access to Rehabilitation, and the Rise of Remote Exercise
4. Nine Trials, 1604 Adults: Who Was Studied and What They Received
5. Pain and Function Right After the Program — and Months Later
6. Blinding, Mixed Technology, and Other Reasons for Caution
7. How the Authors Framed the Role of Digital Exercise in Osteoarthritis Care
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course reports the findings of a single peer-reviewed systematic review and meta-analysis. No claims, figures, or recommendations beyond that source have been added.
2. Long J, You J, Yang Y. Effect of Digital Exercise Therapy on the Pain and Physical Function of Patients With Osteoarthritis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2025;27:e66037. doi: 10.2196/66037. Review protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023484819).
3. Published open access under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Any treatment recommendations described in this course belong to the authors of that review and are attributed to them throughout.