Effectiveness of In-Clinic Rehabilitation vs. Home-Based Telerehabilitation for Adults with MS in the Deep…

Randomized trialArchives of physical medicine and rehabilitation· Aug 2026

Effectiveness of In-Clinic Rehabilitation vs. Home-Based Telerehabilitation for Adults with MS in the Deep South: The TEAMS Cluster Randomized Trial.

Tapan Mehta, Hui-Ju Young, Tracy Flemming-Tracy … James H Rimmer

Musculoskeletal RehabilitationRandomized trialTreatmentQ1IF 3.2

In-clinic rehab improved balance more than home telerehab in multiple sclerosis

Effectiveness of In-Clinic Rehabilitation vs. Home-Based Telerehabilitation for Adults with MS in the Deep South: The TEAMS Cluster Randomized Trial.

Tapan Mehta … James H Rimmer

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Rehabilitation

Purpose

To compare the effectiveness of a 12-week complementary and alternative medicine (complementary and alternative medicine) program for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) delivered by a therapist in a clinic (DirectCAM) versus self-initiated at home (TeleCAM).

Methods

A total of 759 adults with MS were enrolled (DirectCAM, n=382; TeleCAM, n=377).

n = 759 adults

Results

in-clinic patients gained more balance-scale points than home telerehab patients

MD 2.10 (95% CI 1.40 to 2.90)

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Of the 759 participants across 43 clinics, 382 were assigned to DirectCAM and 377 to TeleCAM.

No statistically significant between-group differences were observed for patient-reported outcomes at 3, 6, or 12 months.

More results

No statistically significant between-group differences were observed for changes in 6MWT, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test, or T25-FW.

“

Conclusion

DirectCAM and TeleCAM produced comparable improvements in patient-reported outcomes. DirectCAM was superior only for Berg Balance Scale. Therefore, the hypothesis that TeleCAM would be superior to DirectCAM was not supported.

Effectiveness of In-Clinic Rehabilitation vs. Home-Based Telerehabilitation for Adults with MS in the Deep South: The TEAMS Cluster Randomized Trial.

Effectiveness of In-Clinic Rehabilitation vs. Home-Based Telerehabilitation for Adults with MS in the Deep South: The TEAMS Cluster Randomized Trial.

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