Telerehabilitation: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and future perspectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an enormous effect on healthcare, notably rehabilitation for neurological, rheumatological, musculoskeletal, and cognitive diseases. Telerehabilitation provides rehabilitation services via multiple modalities, such as real-time chats, computerized consultations, and distant evaluations, emphasizing assessment, diagnosis, and intervention. While the use of telerehabilitation had restrictions before COVID-19, regulatory changes have accelerated its adoption, broadening therapy provision beyond traditional healthcare settings. Telerehabilitation has been examined for its effectiveness in a variety of health concerns, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and rheumatic diseases. Despite the constraints of the COVID-19 environment, telerehabilitation settings, which include patient and therapist aspects, have emerged to ensure optimal treatment delivery. Key themes include home-based rehabilitation initiatives, wearable gadgets, and the integration of analytics and artificial intelligence. The growing acceptance of telehealth and telerehabilitation is expected to drive further progress in this discipline.