Why You Should Consider Virtual Athletic Therapy
When people hear “virtual rehab”, they often think it must be less effective because it’s not hands-on. But the evidence shows otherwise.
While telehealth has been growing since before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic certainly accelerated its adoption— and the research to support it. We now have a much clearer picture of how virtual rehabilitation performs, and the evidence shows it is a strong, effective alternative to in-person musculoskeletal rehab.
Overall, the research shows that telehealth is just as effective as traditional in-person appointments for improving pain and physical function, with patients reporting overall satisfaction and positive experiences. Several recurring themes help explain these results and make telehealth a genuinely modern way to deliver rehabilitation.
Ease, Flexibility, and Convenience
One of the major benefits of virtual care is the convenience of appointments and the scheduling flexibility, removing some of the practical barriers to injury rehab. Online appointments eliminate the need to drive to and from a physical location and sit in a waiting room, taking away more time from your day. Appointments can be met wherever you are, and offer flexibility and efficiency in terms of your pace, your space, and your time. This is a benefit for those with hectic schedules, live in more rural areas, or who need quick access to a professional.
More Comfort at Home
To add to that, many patients reported feeling more at ease at home, noting it as a “safe zone”, as opposed to sharing a space with other people, adding distractions. Patients felt they could be more open because of the comfort and privacy of being at home. As well, there is the added benefit of tailoring exercise programs to the space and equipment available at home.
Less Distraction, More Personal
To piggyback on patients feeling like they can open up more at home, this offers the opportunity for more personal communication with the therapist. Distractions of noises, interruptions, and others in the background are removed, leading to more meaningful and connected conversations. This is important because therapeutic alliance (the patient and therapist working together) has consistently been shown to be an important factor in people’s recovery from pain and injury. Patients have noted that the care they received felt more personalized and tailored to their own environment. Collaboration, warmth, and support between a patient and therapist can still exist without face-to-face contact.
More Focus on What Matters
Two more important factors for patients’ recovery are education and reassurance, which are commonly first-line treatments for those with pain and injury (especially low back pain). This is easily deliverable through virtual means, especially when there is that strong therapeutic alliance. Because of the distance between the patient and therapist, patients are left with self-management tools to guide their recovery, making them more active in the process. There is more onus on the patient to take control of their pain/injury as opposed to having a therapist there to apply a modality or massage an area.
Similar Experience from Providers
Aside from a few specific cases, virtual assessments are just as reliable as in-person ones for most common injuries and pain conditions. Detailed history-taking often becomes more effective in this relaxed setting, and functional or orthopedic tests can easily be adapted for video. Therapists can still accurately identify issues and create tailored, progressive plans with confidence.
Virtual athletic therapy provides the same high-quality outcomes and satisfaction as in-person sessions — with added benefits like convenience, flexibility, time efficiency, and comfort. It’s an effective, evidence-backed option for anyone looking to assess, understand, and rehabilitate their sports or activity-related injuries, no matter where they are.
References:
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