Effectiveness of digital and telemedicine technologies in the rehabilitation of patients with dorsopathies and chronic pain: a review

Dorsopathies and chronic pain are conditions that represent medical and social challenges due to their high prevalence, tendency toward chronicity, and the limited effectiveness of standard therapeutic approaches, ultimately leading to decreased work capacity and disability in the population. Conventional rehabilitation programs face multiple constraints, including geographic barriers, low availability of specialized care — particularly in rural regions — and insufficient patient adherence. The relevance of this review lies in the need to identify new, more effective and accessible strategies for rehabilitation that incorporate digital and telemedicine technologies (DTT). Based on the analysis of 70 eligible publications according to PRISMA criteria, a comprehensive review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of DTT in the rehabilitation of patients with dorsopathies and chronic pain. Based on the available data, various forms of DTT — synchronous (videoconsultations) and asynchronous (mobile applications, SMS reminders, VR/AR technologies, wearable devices based on biofeedback principles) — demonstrate effectiveness comparable to in-person rehabilitation in reducing pain intensity (according to visual analog scale data), improving physical performance (according to Oswestry and Roland–Morris indices), enhancing treatment adherence (up to 90%), and improving quality of life assessed using the SF-36 scale. Key mechanisms of positive DTT effects include reduction of kinesiophobia through graded virtual exposure, modulation of neuroplasticity, and optimization of movement patterns via real-time biofeedback. Despite existing organizational, regulatory, and technological gaps in the Russian Federation (lack of reimbursement frameworks within compulsory health insurance, software licensing challenges, risks of data privacy violations, low digital literacy), both international and Russian evidence supports the high potential for integrating DTT into rehabilitation programs.