mHealth Apps for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation: Systematic Search in App Stores and Content Analysis.
Shíofra Ryan, Noirín Ní Chasaide, Shane O' Hanrahan and 3 others
PMID 35916688WHAT IT FOUND
Most musculoskeletal rehab apps lack evidence and fail to support adherence.
Only 11% cited research, and 75% had no patient-reported outcomes. Few offered two-way clinician communication or safety warnings, limiting their usefulness for safe, tailored home exercise programs.
Key findings
0174.3% of apps made no reference to research, and only 11.1% provided supporting evidence.
0275% of apps lacked patient-reported outcome features, and only 22.2% had direct personalized communication.
0364.6% of apps used automated generic exercise prescription rather than clinician-tailored programs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study only included apps available in the Republic of Ireland and in English, so findings may not generalize to other regions or languages. Data was extracted from public store descriptions and screenshots; features hidden behind paywalls or requiring login may have been missed or incorrectly marked as absent. White-labeled apps (identical apps branded differently) were excluded from the final count to avoid skewing results, which may underrepresent the total volume of available options. This is a content analysis of app features, not a clinical trial, so it cannot determine if using these apps actually improves patient outcomes.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high volume of apps as evidence of quality or efficacy. This study analyzed app features and marketing claims, not patient outcomes. The absence of cited evidence and safety features in most apps means they should not be recommended as standalone treatments without rigorous individual vetting by the clinician.