Journal of medical Internet research
Effects of Digital Health Interventions in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
By Wang X, Jing W, Li Y and 4 others.
Abstract
Background
Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a major public health problem, and access to continuous, long-term care remains challenging. Digital health interventions may extend care beyond conventional settings; however, their comparative effects across delivery modalities and core therapeutic components remain uncertain.
Objective
This study aimed to synthesize evidence and compare the effects of different digital health intervention modalities on pain, functional disability, and health-related quality of life in adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Methods
This systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 guidelines. PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus were systematically searched from database inception to January 29, 2026. Randomized controlled trials comparing digital health interventions with control conditions in adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain were included. Interventions were classified according to digital delivery format and core therapeutic components. Standardized effect sizes (Hedges g) were used, and pairwise meta-analyses and Bayesian random-effects network meta-analyses were conducted. Subgroup analyses explored effect modification by core components. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework adapted for network meta-analysis.