Table 1 Special information of the studies included

(Hankinson et al., 2022) [24]

Austria

Pilot study

RCT

E:11

C:11

Not reported

6-week

Intervention: the GotRhythm app

Control: no app use, usual care

allied health professional

Not stated

FMA

(Sarfo et al., 2019) [30]

USA

Pilot study

RCT

E:30

C:30

The mean age was 55 (SD 13)

3 months

Intervention: Blue-toothed UA-767Plus BT BP device and a smartphone with an embedded app

Control: SMS messages on healthy lifestyle behaviors

physicians and nurses

Not stated

BP

medication adherence

hypertension management competence

self-regulation

patient satisfaction

side effects of antihypertensive medications

stroke knowledge

Barthel’s Index

(Fruhwirth et al., 2022) [40]

Austria

pilot study

CCT

E:21

C:21

E:41 ± 11

C:47 ± 8

3 months

Intervention: app

Control: usual care without app

psychologists

Set and evaluate goals once a week

PA

Self-reported nutrition

alcohol consumption

smoking behavior

BMI

BP

(Requena et al., 2019) [41]

Spain

pilot study

CCT

E:107

C:52

E: 57 ± 12

C: 59 ± 10

4-week

Intervention: Farmalarm app

Control: usual care without app

occupational therapist

Not stated

BP

diabetes mellitus

HDL-C

LDL-C

smoking

PA

Stroke knowledge

(Kamal et al., 2020) [25]

Pakistan

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:141

C:137

E: 60.6 ± 12

C: 59.7 ± 14.3

6 months

Intervention: Movies4Stroke app

Control: usual care without app

Not stated

constant SMS reminders

SBP

DBP

HbA1c

LDL-C

Mortality and the Number Needed to Treat

Change in Functional Status

(Chae et al., 2020) [42]

Korea

Clinical outcome

CCT

E:17

C:6

E: 58.3 ± 9.3

C: 64.5 ± 9.6

3 months

Intervention:

HBR apps

Control: a printed handout to remind them about how to perform the four exercise tasks

Therapists

Weekly calls

WMT

FMA-UE

BDI

ROM

Grip power

(Lee, 2019) [27]

Korea

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:21

C:21

E: 61.67 ± 8.42

C: 64.24 ± 10.83

6 weeks

Intervention:

virtual active app

Control: usual care without app

Therapists

Not stated

mFRT

FMA-LE

(Li et al., 2020) [34]

China

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:60

C:60

E: 58.3 ± 12.4

C: 60.8 ± 11.6

3 months

Intervention:

WeChat app

Control: telephone

Healthcare workers

Not stated

MBI

(Xu et al., 2021) [43]

China

Clinical outcome

CCT

E:51

C:50

E: 68.52 ± 3.15

C: 68.68 ± 3.18

3 months

Intervention:

“Rehabilitation Guardian” App

Control: health brochure

therapists

weekly calls

Hcy

HDL-C

TC

FMA-LESE

QoL

patient satisfaction

(Yan et al., 2021) [32]

China

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:611

C:615

Among study participants, mean age was 65.7 [SD:8.2]

12 months

Intervention:

SINEMA App

Control: usual care without app

Village doctors

monthly follow-up visits

BP

The “timed up and go” test

PA

QoL

medication adherence

(Grau-Pellicer et al., 2020) [23]

Spain

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:24

C:17

E: 62.96 ± 11.87

C: 68.53 ± 11.53

8-week

Intervention:

two mHealth apps, Fitlab® Training and Fitlab® Test

Control: usual care without app

physical therapist

Not stated

PA

Walking speed

Walking endurance

Functional mobility and risk of falling

ADLs

QoL

patient satisfaction

Barthel’s Index

(Kang et al., 2019) [33]

China

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:38

C:38

E: 50.47 ± 10.82

C: 52.33 ± 11.03

2-week

Intervention: SHEMA app

Control: stroke health education booklet

trained research assistant

Not stated

stroke knowledge

QoL

(Jang & Jang, 2016) [35]

Korea

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:10

C:11

E: 39.3 ± 18.1

C: 49.3 ± 14.0

4-week

Intervention: finger training app

Control: usual care without app

Not stated

Not stated

MMT

MFT

PPT

(Paul et al., 2016) [39]

United Kingdom

pilot study

CCT

E:15

C:8

E: 56.3 ± 8.7

C: 55.3 ± 12.6

6-week

Intervention: STARFISH app

Control: usual care without app

the researcher

At week three, each group of participants in the intervention arm attended the Clinical Research Facility to discuss their progress

PA

BP

FSS

FMAT

QoL

PGWBI

ADLs

(Prokopenko et al., 2013) [38]

Russia

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:24

C:19

The intervention group is represented by 24 patients at the age of 60–72 (Median = 61 [57;69]), control group-19 persons at the age of 60–72 (Median = 66 [61; 69])

14 days

Intervention: app

Control: usual care without app

Healthcare workers

Not stated

MMSE

MoCA

(Salgueiro et al., 2022) [31]

Spain

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:30

C:30

E: 57.27 ± 14.35

C: 64.53 ± 9.4

3 months

Intervention: Farmalarm app

Control: conventional physiotherapy without app

main researcher

regularly calls

S-FIST

S-PASS

BBS

(Wang et al., 2020) [36]

China

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:150

C:150

E: 42.75 ± 0.16

C: 41.32 ± 2.16

12 months

Intervention: Ekangwang app

Control: telephone

Not stated

Not stated

BP

BMI

LDL-C

(Kamal et al., 2018) [6]

Pakistan

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:99

C:98

E: 59.1 ± 11.6

C: 57.7 ± 11.1

3 months

Intervention: Talking Rx app

Control: usual care without app

a study physician

Not stated

medication adherence

(Choi et al., 2016)[12]

Korea

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:12

C:12

E: 61.0 ± 15.2

C: 72.1 ± 9.9

2 weeks

Intervention: MoU-Rehab app

Control: usual care without app

Not stated

Not stated

MMT

FMAT

QoL

BDI

(Verna et al., 2020) [37]

Italy

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:12

C:12

E: 50.87 ± 12.37

C: 64.20 ± 10.94

4 weeks

Intervention: Te.M.P.O app with mismatches in the listened music theme sequences

Control: Te.M.P.O app with no mismatches in the listened music theme sequences

Not stated

Not stated

MBI

SSQoL

(Shin & Song, 2016) [28]

Korea

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:12

C:12

E:57.75 ± 14.03

C: 59.25 ± 9.75

4 weeks

Intervention: a SPVFTCT system

Control: conventional rehabilitation program

Not stated

Not stated

trunk control ability

mFRT

eye open

eye close

(Shin, 2020) [29]

Korea

Clinical outcome

RCT

E:12

C:12

Not stated

4 weeks

Intervention: a SPVFTCT system

Control: conventional rehabilitation program

Not stated

Not stated

trunk control ability

stride length

step length

(Ifejika et al., 2020) [11]

USA

pilot study

RCT

E:17

C:19

The mean participant age was 54 years

6 months

Intervention: lose it app

Control: pocket-sized CalorieKing Food & Exercise Journal

clinician

Not stated

Median weight change

Depression