Digital therapeutic delivers gold-standard treatment for non-specific back pain, improves function and quality of life outcomes
The study included 1245 adults with acute, subacute, or recurring nonspecific back pain who were evaluated 4 times over a 1-year period. (Credit: Kaia Health)
Kaia Health, the largest global digital therapeutics company on a mission to make high-quality, evidence-based therapies accessible to anyone, anytime, today announced results from the Rise-uP randomized controlled trial, which demonstrated that the use of digital multimodal therapy leads to a significant reduction in back pain. After the 12-month trial period, study participants who engaged with the Kaia Health app experienced a 46% percent reduction in pain and significant improvements in functional capacity and mental and physical quality of life metrics.
Back pain affects 8 out of 10 people at least once in their lives1. For those experiencing chronic low back pain, 85% of disorders have no known cause or are nonspecific2. The study included 1245 adults with acute, subacute, or recurring nonspecific back pain who were evaluated 4 times over a 1-year period.
Participants were given access to the Kaia Health app which uses a multimodal therapy concept, considered the gold-standard treatment for back pain. The program combines physical exercise, relaxation, breathing techniques, and education about the causes of pain, diet and lifestyle modifications, and stress management.
When compared to participants in the control group who received traditional care, Kaia Health users’ pain was reduced by 1.85 points after only 3 months and 2.55 points after 12 months on an 11-point numeric rating scale. Pain reduction in the control group was only 24%. The difference remained even when controlling for other factors such as age and pain duration. Participants in the intervention group also experienced significant improvement in their functional ability, anxiety, depression, stress, and mental and physical quality of life.
“As the world’s most clinically validated digital musculoskeletal solution, we have a steadfast commitment to research,” according to Nigel Ohrenstein, president of Kaia Health. “This study further demonstrates the efficacy in reducing pain for the millions of people who experience back pain and improves overall quality of life.”
The study also included a cost-effectiveness analysis that showed a reduction in healthcare costs of up to 80% versus traditional care.
As a global company, it is a significant accomplishment for Kaia Health to be among the few digital therapies to be recognized by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA),3 who recommended applying the approach of Rise-uP to the standard care for patients with nonspecific back pain. Rise-uP is the largest randomized controlled trial of a digital health application and is backed by the German Innovation Fund.
Source: Company Press Release