Study overview
Long-term evidence for digital MSK care has historically been limited. This study evaluated one-year outcomes among people with chronic MSK pain who enrolled in Sword’s remote multimodal digital care program.
Researchers compared program participants with a non-participant group: people who enrolled but did not engage in any exercise sessions or educational content. The analysis evaluated pain, disability, mental health, productivity, healthcare resource use, and durability of outcomes over one year.
Key findings
Clinical improvements were sustained at one year
Participants achieved significant long-term improvements in pain and disability. The study is important because it evaluates durability beyond the active treatment window.
Participants improved more than non-participants
By comparing engaged participants with people who enrolled but did not participate, the study provides a more useful benchmark than baseline-to-endpoint change alone.
Healthcare resource use decreased
The Sword summary notes that members achieved long-term improvements while using fewer healthcare resources, connecting clinical recovery with downstream utilization.
The study strengthens the evidence for durability
Digital MSK studies often focus on short-term outcomes. This analysis helps show that meaningful clinical gains can persist over a longer follow-up period.
Why this study matters
This study addresses a critical question for digital MSK care: do outcomes last? Short-term improvement is valuable, but the clinical and economic case is stronger when gains are sustained after the active phase of care.
The study should be interpreted as an ad hoc analysis with a non-participant comparison group, not as a randomized trial. Still, it adds important evidence that remote digital MSK care can support durable improvements in pain and disability over one year.
About the author
Fabiola Costa
Senior Director of Clinical Research, Sword Health
