Telerehabilitation versus face-to-face physical therapy for middle-aged patients with degenerative meniscal tear in China: a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of telerehabilitation to traditional face- to-face physical therapy for patients with degenerative meniscal tears in Shanghai, China.

DESIGN

A two-arm, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted across two hospitals in Shanghai, China Subjects/Patients: Participants with clinically diagnosed degenerative meniscal tears were randomly assigned to either the telerehabilitation group or the face-to-face physical therapy group.

METHODS

Both groups underwent a 12-week intervention. Participants in telerehabilitation group used a digital platform for remote physical therapy, while participants in physical therapy group received traditional clinic-based rehabilitation. A predefined non-inferiority margin of 10 points on the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was applied to determine clinical equivalence between the interventions.

RESULTS

Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in knee function and quality of life, with no significant differences in the KOOS, SF-36, or functional tests at any time point (p > 0.05). Both groups had high adherence rates, with no significant differences in exercise completion or satisfaction scores. The TELE group had a significantly lower total cost compared to the PT group (p < 0.001), demonstrating greater cost-effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Telerehabilitation was found to be clinically non-inferior to face-to-face physical therapy for improving knee function, pain, and quality of life in patients with degenerative meniscal tears. It offered significant cost savings, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional in-person rehabilitation.