Scientific Evidence

Device-based Exercise Therapy

Our principles are based on scientific facts and findings. This applies to both biomechanics in device designs as well as to training principles. We have conducted several validation and outcome studies over the past 25 years. These pages provide you with studies relating to biomechanics, medical outcomes, and economics.

The majority of the research is third-party publications carried out using David devices. We have also included internal analyses to highlight clinical outcomes. The supporting studies section provides evidence-based justification for exercise therapy in general.

Ensuring DAVID devices are safe

The David devices are classified as Electromechanical rehabilitation devices (Medical Class 1m) with measuring function (Directive 93/42/EEC).

Please find our up-to-date certificates via the EUDAMED – European Medical Device Database.

EUDAMED - European Database on Medical Devices

A call for Exercise Therapy for the five most common musculoskeletal pain presentations (back, neck, shoulder, knee, and multi-site pain)

Effective treatment options for musculoskeletal pain in primary care: a systematic overview of current evidence.

Objective
To identify the current best evidence on treatment options for the five most common musculoskeletal pain presentations (back, neck, shoulder, knee, and multi-site pain) in primary care.

Methods
Systematic literature review, included studies (n=146)
Quality assessment performed using AMSTAR
Strength of evidence evaluated using a modified GRADE approach

Outcome
Best available evidence shows that patients with musculoskeletal pain problems in primary care can be managed effectively with non-pharmacological treatments such as exercise therapy, self-management advice, and psychosocial interventions. For the short-term pain relief, corticosteroid injections (for knee and shoulder pain) can be effective treatment options and may be used in addition to non-pharmacological treatments.

Access Study

Babatunde O, Jordan J, Van der Windt D, Hill J, Foster N, Protheroe J. Effective treatment options for musculoskeletal pain in primary care: A systematic overview of current evidence. PLOS ONE 2017;12(6):e0178621.

If exercise is medicine, why don’t we know the dose?

If exercise is medicine, why don’t we know the dose? An overview of systematic reviews assessing reporting quality of exercise interventions in health and disease

Objective
To determine how well exercise interventions are reported in trials in health and disease.

Methods
Reviews of any health condition were included if they primarily assessed quality of exercise intervention reporting using the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) or the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR). The review quality was assessed using a modified version of A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR).

Outcome
Exercise interventions are poorly reported across a range of health conditions. If exercise is medicine, then how it is prescribed and delivered is unclear, potentially limiting its translation from research to practice.

View full article

Hansford H.J, Wewege M.A, Cashin A.G, Hagstrom A.D, Clifford B.K, McAuley J.H, Jones M.D. If exercise is medicine, why don’t we know the dose? An overview of systematic reviews assessing reporting quality of exercise interventions in health and disease. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022.

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