Fully Remote Digital Physical Therapy Versus Conventional In-Person Care for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who treat shoulder pain in outpatient, hospital-based, or remote care settings, and who want a clear account of what the trial comparing remote digital physical therapy with in-person care actually found.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Physical therapist assistants participate in delivering interventions under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist; evaluation, diagnosis, and plan-of-care decisions remain with the physical 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

Pak SS, Janela D, Freitas N, Costa F, Moulder R, Molinos M, Areias AC, Bento V, Cohen SP, Yanamadala V, Souza RB, Correia FD. Comparing Digital to Conventional Physical Therapy for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e49236. doi:10.2196/49236. PMID: 37490337. PMCID: PMC10474513.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04636528.

This course reports only what the cited trial states. Several of the authors are employees of, or hold equity in, the company that sponsored the study and supplied the digital program; the authors disclosed these relationships in the published paper.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the population enrolled in this trial and the two eight-week programs — fully remote digital physical therapy and conventional in-person physical therapy — that were compared.
2. State what the trial found for shoulder function, pain, mental health, adherence, satisfaction, and safety at the end of the eight-week programs.
3. Explain the limitations the authors identified and the conclusion they drew about fully remote digital physical therapy as a care delivery model for chronic shoulder pain.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. Podcast: Digital Versus In-Person Care for Chronic Shoulder Pain (about nine minutes)
3. Chronic Shoulder Pain and the Question Behind the Trial
4. How the Digital and In-Person Programs Were Delivered
5. Function, Pain, and Mental Health at Eight Weeks
6. Adherence, Satisfaction, and Safety in Both Groups
7. What the Authors Concluded and Where the Limits Are
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. Pak SS, Janela D, Freitas N, Costa F, Moulder R, Molinos M, Areias AC, Bento V, Cohen SP, Yanamadala V, Souza RB, Correia FD. Comparing Digital to Conventional Physical Therapy for Chronic Shoulder Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2023;25:e49236. doi:10.2196/49236. PMID: 37490337. PMCID: PMC10474513.
2. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04636528.
3. This course reports only what the cited trial states. Several of the authors are employees of, or hold equity in, the company that sponsored the study and supplied the digital program; the authors disclosed these relationships in the published paper.