Musculoskeletal Digital Therapeutics and Digital Health Rehabilitation: A Global Paradigm Shift in Orthopaedic Care
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Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect over 1.7 billion people globally and rep-resent the leading cause of disability worldwide. Conventional rehabilitation strate-gies face challenges including limited accessibility, suboptimal adherence, and lack of personalization. Digital therapeutics (DTx)—evidence-based, software-driven interventions regulated as medical devices—have emerged as transformative solu-tions in chronic disease management. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on musculoskeletal DTx and digital health rehabilitation across ortho-paedic subspecialties. We describe core enabling technologies including artificial intelligence-driven motion analysis, wearable sensors, tele-rehabilitation platforms, and cloud-based ecosystems. Clinical applications spanning spine, upper and lower extremities, sports injuries, and trauma are examined alongside global regulatory frameworks, economic considerations, and implementation challenges. Early clinical evidence demonstrates improvements in functional outcomes, adherence, and cost-effectiveness. Future directions include digital twin technologies, predictive analytics, and integration with precision orthopaedics. By establishing a compre-hensive framework for musculoskeletal DTx implementation, this review highlights their potential to improve outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and address global rehabilitation access gaps.