New review highlights the power of telerehabilitation in breaking global health barriers

In a groundbreaking development for global neurological care, researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University have published the first-ever systematic review examining the effectiveness of telerehabilitation for adults with neurological conditions in low and middle-income countries.

Led by Eric Nkansah Opoku, a lecturer in Occupational Therapy, and supervised by Professor Lorna Paul, the Telerehabilitation Research Group analysed all existing evidence to assess how remote rehabilitation services are transforming care for patients in regions where hospital access is limited or non-existent.

The review, entitled Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation for Adults with Neurological Conditions in Low and Middle-Income Countries, shines a spotlight on the critical role technology plays in bridging gaps in global health. It highlights early but promising results for patients recovering from strokes, spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions through virtual rehabilitation methods.

“This is about rethinking access,” said Eric. “If people can’t reach rehabilitation services, then we must bring the services to them - and telerehabilitation offers a real opportunity to do that.”

The review emphasises the potential of telerehabilitation to boost outcomes for patients, particularly in underserved areas. However, it also points to significant gaps in current research, noting that much of the evidence remains limited in both scope and quality.

The Telerehabilitation Research Group, based in the School of Health and Life Sciences’ Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), is calling for more robust, evidence-based rehabilitation research to be carried out in low and middle-income countries to build a stronger foundation for more scalable, sustainable solutions.

The team, made up of international researchers and clinicians, also co-develops practical solutions to strengthen the skills and capacity of rehabilitation professionals in low-resource areas around the world.

Eric said the review, published in the PLOS Digital Health journal, sets the stage for new investment, innovation and collaboration in digital health and sends a strong message that telerehabilitation isn’t just a stopgap - it’s a potentially transformative tool for making neurological care more accessible, inclusive and future-ready.