Putting Science Front and Center: Joint Academy in the First RCT to Demonstrate Clinically Significant Improvements in Digital Treatment for Chronic Joint Pain

At Joint Academy, science is at the core of everything we do. This commitment is why we exclusively work with licensed physical therapists and integrate academic research into every aspect of our treatment programs. Our digital treatments are backed by ten peer-reviewed studies, reinforcing their effectiveness in treating chronic joint pain.

Groundbreaking Research in Digital Osteoarthritis Treatment

The first randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing Joint Academy’s digital treatment with traditional, in-person care was published in JAMA Network Open. The findings? Joint Academy’s digital treatment outperforms traditional care in reducing pain and improving function for patients with chronic joint pain.

First Study to Show Clinically Meaningful Improvements with Digital Osteoarthritis Treatment

This RCT is the first to demonstrate clinically significant improvements in treating knee osteoarthritis digitally compared to conventional treatment. The study showed that:

• Traditional face-to-face care reduced patients’ pain by only 6% on average.
• Joint Academy’s digital treatment reduced patients’ pain by 41%.

The study included 105 participants aged 45 or older with knee osteoarthritis, randomly assigned to two groups:

1. Digital treatment via Joint Academy’s smartphone app
2. Self-managed care based on existing guidelines, with general practitioner visits as needed

For those familiar with Joint Academy’s treatment programs, these results are unsurprising. We’ve seen tens of thousands of patients improve pain levels and mobility within just a few weeks—even those who have tried traditional care, relied on painkillers for decades, or struggled with basic daily activities like walking up and down stairs.

Driving Treatment Adherence for Better Outcomes

The RCT reinforces what we have observed since launching Joint Academy in 2014: giving patients access to a licensed physical therapist, a personalized treatment plan, and daily reminders leads to significantly better adherence and improved outcomes.

• Daily nudges and progress tracking encourage patients to stick with their treatment plan.
• Gamification elements—such as checking off completed exercises—motivate patients to stay engaged.
• Higher adherence leads to better medical outcomes for both patients and healthcare payers.

A Cost-Effective, Scalable Solution for Payers

For health plans and payers, these findings present a low-cost, high-impact solution for managing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. With MSK-related expenses among the top drivers of medical spending, and total joint replacements on the rise, Joint Academy provides an accessible, science-backed alternative to costly surgeries.

Health plans such as Cigna, ChenMed, Humana, and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island already offer Joint Academy to their members. If you’re a payer or provider interested in learning more, we’d be happy to schedule demo.