Impact of telerehabilitation on pain and functional disability in individuals with chronic neck pain: A systematic review and narrative synthesis

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders worldwide and is recognized as a major contributor todisability and reduced quality of life1. Conventional physiotherapy interventions are effective; however, barriers such as limited accessibility, financialburden, transportation difficulties, and poor adherence often reduce treatment effectiveness. Recent advancements in telecommunication technologies haveenabled the emergence of telerehabilitation as an alternative method for delivering physiotherapy services remotely.Objective: The objective of this systematic review and narrative synthesis was to evaluate the effectiveness of telerehabilitation interventions in reducingpain intensity and functional disability among individuals with chronic neck pain.Methodology: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web ofScience, and Google Scholar were searched for randomized controlled trials, clinical studies, and systematic reviews published between 2015 and 2025.Studies involving adults with chronic neck pain receiving telerehabilitation interventions were included. Primary outcome measures included pain intensityassessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) or Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and disability measured using the Neck Disability Index (NDI).Results: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Evidence from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses demonstrated significant improvementsin pain and disability following telerehabilitation interventions. Quantitative findings indicated average reductions of approximately −1.27 in pain scores and−3.78 points in disability scores compared to minimal care or no treatment. Outcomes were generally comparable to conventional face-to-face physiotherapy.Interventions that combined exercise therapy with patient education and regular monitoring demonstrated greater adherence and patient satisfaction.Conclusion: Telerehabilitation is an effective and accessible strategy for managing chronic neck pain. It significantly improves pain and functional disabilitywhile providing flexibility and convenience. Future research should focus on long-term effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and development of standardizedevidence-based protocols.