Digital Health, Tele-Rehabilitation, and Active Living Promotion in Rehabilitation Sciences

Digital health and rehabilitation sciences are increasingly converging to transform patient care and promote active living. The advent of tele-rehabilitation, wearable sensors, mobile health platforms, and data-driven monitoring systems has redefined how rehabilitation and exercise interventions are delivered, assessed, and adapted. These technologies have proven particularly valuable in supporting continuous remote care, improving adherence to therapeutic programs, and maintaining physical activity among patients with a variety of conditions. Despite these advances, significant gaps remain regarding the scalability, long-term effectiveness, and user experience of digital rehabilitation models. While numerous studies have demonstrated the short-term benefits of tele-rehabilitation and digital exercise interventions, further research is needed to establish standardized frameworks, ensure equitable access, and optimize integration across healthcare systems.

This Research Topic aims to advance understanding of how digital health technologies can be effectively integrated into rehabilitation and exercise science. It seeks to explore innovative solutions that enhance patient outcomes through technology-driven care, examining applications ranging from tele-supervised exercise and virtual environments to artificial intelligence–assisted rehabilitation and wearable-based assessments. The goal is to provide a platform for interdisciplinary research that unites physiotherapy, sports science, biomedical engineering, behavioral science, and public health, thereby driving forward the evidence base for personalized, scalable, and patient-centered rehabilitation models.

To gather further insights into the intersection of digital health, rehabilitation, and active living promotion, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

Development and evaluation of tele-rehabilitation programs and remote exercise supervision

Artificial intelligence applications to support clinical decision-making in tele-rehabilitation and remote care delivery

Mobile health platforms and wearable technologies for monitoring physical activity and recovery

User engagement, usability, and accessibility in digital rehabilitation interventions

Digital approaches to rehabilitation in musculoskeletal, neurological, respiratory, and chronic conditions

Implementation science and real-world studies of technology-driven rehabilitation models

Strategies for promoting sustained physical activity and active living using digital tools

Article types may include clinical trials, pilot and validation studies, systematic reviews, implementation research, and applied technological investigations.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: tele-rehabilitation, digital health, remote exercise supervision, wearable technology, mobile health, physical activity, rehabilitation outcomes, implementation science

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.