Digital exercise therapy reduces opioid prescription initiation by 42%

A new study in the Journal of Pain Research reveals that people in a digital exercise therapy program offered by Hinge Health were 42% less likely to start taking opioids than those who tried traditional physical therapy. The study also found that people who used Hinge Health had 25% fewer opioid prescriptions overall than traditional PT patients after 12 months.

The study is based on medical and pharmacy claims data from 160 employers and included 4,195 Hinge Health participants and 4,195 PT patients. Participants started the digital back, neck, shoulder, hip or knee program from Hinge Health between January 2020 and October 2020. The company’s approach to care combines digital exercise therapy with a clinical care team of physical therapists and health coaches to help reduce the odds that individuals in pain will start (or continue) taking opioids.

“Our digital exercise therapy program helps people manage their pain while avoiding long-term opioid use,” Jeff Krauss, Hinge Health’s chief medical officer, said in a statement. “This study is significant in that it is the first of its kind to quantify the impact that Hinge Health’s care program can have on reducing the need for opioids, helping people move beyond pain without medication.”

According to Hinge Health, one in two Americans experiences pain in their back, neck, or joints. This pain can be debilitating both physically and mentally, impacting a person’s everyday activities at home and in the workplace. The widespread misuse of opioids to treat chronic pain is a growing national concern. In fact, widespread misuse of opioids has become a major issue for employers, many of whom feel ill-equipped to handle it. A 2019 survey by the National Safety Council found that 75% of employers think their workforce has been impacted by opioid use, but only 17% feel extremely well-prepared to deal with it.

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Nearly 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and a 2023 study by business intelligence company Morning Consult revealed that three in 10 Americans say they know someone affected by opioid addiction. One in seven adults said they have been directly impacted by opioid addiction.