Evidence-Based Physiotherapy Interventions for Improving Functional Outcomes in Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review
Abstract
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are among the leading causes of pain, disability, and functional impairment worldwide, creating substantial healthcare and socioeconomic burdens. Physiotherapy is widely recognized as a first-line conservative treatment for managing these conditions, however, indication regarding the comparative effectiveness of different physiotherapy interventions remains fragmented. This systematic review synthesized current evidence on physiotherapy interventions that are evidence-based and aimed at improving functional outcomes in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed for studies published between 2018 and 2024. Twelve randomized controlled trials that satisfied the eligibility requirements were included in the qualitative synthesis out of the 556 records that were found using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The comprised studies assessed exercise therapy, manual therapy, cognitive functional therapy, walking-based rehabilitation, yoga-based exercise, selfmanagement programmes, digital physiotherapy, and telerehabilitation across chronic low back pain, knee osteoarthritis, shoulder disorders, and chronic neck pain. Overall, exercise-based rehabilitation consistently improved functional capacity, mobility, pain, and disability, while multimodal interventions combining exercise with manual therapy or behavioural approaches demonstrated additional clinical benefits. Digital physiotherapy and telerehabilitation also produced favorable functional outcomes, highlighting their potential to enhance accessibility and continuity of rehabilitation services. These findings support the implementation of individualized, evidence-based physiotherapy interventions to optimize functional recovery in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized outcome measures and longer follow-up are warranted.