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Rate ePoster

Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine

Telemedicine Rehabilitation for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Thursday, October 23, 2025
12:45 PM - 2:15 PM MT
Location: Kiosk 8

    Poster Presenter(s)

  • I-Ling Emily Chou, MD

    Visiting Medical Student
    The University of Alabama at Birmingham
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    • Co-Author(s)

  • TS

    Ting Su, MD

    Student
    China Medical University
    Modesto, California

  • Berdale Colorado, DO, MPH

    Associate Professor, Assistant Dean, Vice Chair, Program Director
    University of Alabama At Birmingham
    Hoover, Alabama

  • Johan Latorre, MD (he/him/his)

    Assistant professor
    University of Alabama At Birmingham
    Vestavia Hills, Alabama

  • Ian Cummins, MD

    Resident Physician
    University of Alabama Medical Center PM&R Program
    Birmingham, Alabama

  • YL

    YUE-LI LAI, MD

    Resident
    Chang Gung Memorial Hospital At Chiayi
    Chiayi City, Chiayi, Taiwan (Republic of China)

Disclosure(s):
Berdale Colorado, DO, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose
Johan Latorre, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Ian Cummins, MD: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of telemedicine rehabilitation interventions on pain reduction, functional outcomes, and patient adherence, compared to conventional treatments including health education and self-guided home exercise program for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of five RCTs.

Setting : Telemedicine implemented in home-based environments.

Participants : A total of 235 individuals diagnosed with PFPS across five RCTs were included. Participants were randomized into telemedicine (n=117) or conventional self-guided treatment (n=118) groups.

Interventions: A comprehensive search was performed across PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and clinicaltrials.gov to identify relevant studies from database inception to March 2025. Eligible RCTs comparing telemedicine/VR interventions to conventional treatments for PFPS were selected.

Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was the Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS). Secondary outcomes included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, knee flexion range of motion (KFROM), and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK). Pooled mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model.

Results: Five RCTs, involving 235 participants with PFPS, evaluated 4-6 weeks of telerehabilitation or VR interventions. Compared to the conventional rehabilitation group, the telemedicine/VR group demonstrated significant improvements in the AKPS (MD = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.54 to 1.47) and VAS scores (MD = -1.33, 95% CI: -2.18 to -0.47). Data on KFROM and TSK were limited but suggested trends toward enhanced functional outcomes and reduced fear of movement in the intervention group.

Conclusions: Telerehabilitation interventions appear to be effective and feasible alternatives to conventional treatments for PFPS, offering superior pain reduction and functional improvement. These findings support the integration of digital health technologies into clinical practice to enhance patient outcomes and adherence. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are warranted to confirm benefits and optimize implementation.