Digital physiotherapy, often referred to as “Telerehabilitation”, consists of applying rehabilitation using telecommunication technologies. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise when it is telematically prescribed. Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, SportDiscus and PEDro (30 December 2022). The results were obtained by entering a combination of MeSH or Emtree terms with keywords related to telerehabilitation and exercise therapy. RCTs on patients over 18 years and two groups were included, one working with therapeutic exercise through telerehabilitation and one working with conventional physiotherapy group. Results: a total of 779 works were found. However, after applying the inclusion criteria, only 11 were selected. Telerehabilitation is most frequently used to treat musculoskeletal, cardiac and neurological pathologies. The preferred telerehabilitation tools are videoconferencing systems, telemonitoring and online platforms. Exercise programs ranged from 10 to 30 min and were similar in both intervention and control groups. In all the studies, results proved to be similar for telerehabilitation and face-to-face rehabilitation in both groups when measuring functionality, quality of life and satisfaction. Conclusion: this review generally concludes that intervention through telerehabilitation programs is as feasible and efficient as conventional physiotherapy in terms of functionality level and quality of life. In addition, telerehabilitation shows high levels of patients’ satisfaction and adherence, being values equivalent to traditional rehabilitation.

Osteopathic manual treatment has been recommended as a non-pharmacological therapy for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). However, to date, no study has supported the effectiveness of this intervention with respect to the symptoms of the disease. Our goal was to assess the effect of an osteopathic manual technique for the lower esophageal sphincter on GERD symptoms, cervical mobility and on the C4 spinous process pressure pain threshold (PPTs). Methods: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed. Sixty subjects suffering from GERD participated in this study and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG) (n = 29), who received the osteopathic technique for the lower esophageal sphincter, or to a control group (CG) (n = 31), who received a manual contact, which mimicked the osteopathic technique without exerting any therapeutic force. Randomization was computer-generated, with allocation concealed by sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. The GerdQ questionnaire was used to assess symptom changes the week after intervention. Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) and algometer were used to evaluate cervical mobility and PPTs before and after both treatments. Before–after between groups comparison (t-test) was used for statistical analysis of the outcome, with two measurement points (GerdQ), while repeated-measures ANOVA was used for those outcomes with four measurement points (CROM and PPT). Results: The application of the osteopathic manual treatment in subjects with GERD produced a significant improvement in symptoms one week after the intervention (p = 0.005) with a between-groups difference of 1.49 points in GerdQ score (95% CI: 0.47–2.49). PPT C4 improved in the EG after the treatment (p = 0.034; η² = 0.048) (between-groups difference 8.78 Newton/cm²; 95% CI: 0.48–17.09). CROM also increased in the EG compared to the CG (p < 0.001; η² = 0.108) (between-groups difference 33.89 degrees; 95% CI: 15.17–52.61). Conclusions: The manual osteopathic technique produces an improvement in GERD symptoms one week after treatment, cervical mobility, and PPTs. This may mean that osteopathic treatment is useful for improving symptoms of GERD.

Background: Many stroke survivors suffer from sensorimotor deficits, especially balance impairments. The purpose of this trial is to investigate whether the designed Immersive Virtual Reality training program is better in the short term (15 sessions) and in the medium term (30 sessions) than physiotherapy training with Bayouk, Boucher and Leroux exercises, with respect to static balance in sitting and standing, dynamic balance and quality of life in patients with balance impairment in stroke survivors. Methods: This study is a randomized controlled trial with two treatment arms and evaluators blinded, and a functionality treatment group in combination with specific balance exercise training according to Bayouk, Boucher and Leroux (control group) or a balanced treatment using Immersive VR. The primary outcome will be static, Dynamic balance and gait measured by Bestest Assessment Score (BESTest), Berg Scale (BBS), Pass Scale (PASS) and Time Up and Go test (TUG). The secondary outcome will be the stroke-associated quality of life using the Stroke Quality of Life Scale (ECVI-38). Conclusions: The results of this study may add new insights into how to address balance using Immersive Virtual Reality after a stroke. If the new training approach proves effective, the results may provide insight into how to design more comprehensive protocols in the future for people with balance impairments after stroke.