A study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found Hinge Health, a digital musculoskeletal program, reduced the need for spinal fusions by 56%.
The study looked at patients who had low back pain between January 2020 and December 2021 and compared patients using Hinge Health's services with similar matched non-participants.
Hinge Health connects patients with specialists for virtual and in-person personalized physical therapy and musculoskeletal care, according to its website.
Of the 6,848 study participants, those who used Hinge Health had 56% fewer spinal fusions than those who didn't, the company said in a July 24 news release. Now Hinge Health has peer-reviewed research showing reductions in three orthopedic procedures — spinal fusion, total knee replacement and total hip replacement.
"Recovery from spinal fusion surgery can take months, with one study finding that 40% of patients still experience disability a year later," Jeff Krauss, MD, Hinge Health's chief medical officer said in the release. "People need better options. Our latest study demonstrates that forward-thinking organizations offering Hinge Health are improving employee well-being by avoiding surgeries."