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Security and privacy
Does the app:
collect medical information? Yes (can collect information, however based on the privacy policy, this is only used if the user chooses to share this with the doctor)
There is an option for a paid upgrade to “PainGuru Plus”. Unfortunately the link for this seems to be broken on both Apple and Android versions
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What does the app do?
The Pain Guru app is designed for individuals with lower back pain. The app helps with confirming a diagnosis, and provides information on different treatment options.
The user is able to go through a list of questions that ask about the pain location, intensity and nature of symptoms. This will give some guidance about a diagnosis.
Different treatment options for each diagnosis are presented, in both text and short video form (approximately one minute each).
This appears to have been designed for individuals to get more information on other specific areas, such as investigations. However the Pro plus link seems to be broken.
✔ Detailed questions around diagnosis. Based on purely subjective interviewing alone, these questions are likely to have a degree of accuracy for helping to recognise a potential diagnosis.
✘ Following diagnosis, all treatment options are listed ranging from exercises through to fusion surgery. There is no guidance as to why one might be recommended over another. This could potentially cause a lot of worry or anxiety for a user.
✘ Advanced version of the app is broken.
✘ The treatment options for each injury can be confusing for a user, because the most recognised treatment options are not necessarily written at the top of the screen, eg, for disc pain the first option that is mentioned is traction.
✘ Some of the opinions from the app about treatment modalities would not be widely accepted by the entire medical profession, eg, “core strength is a myth”.
✘ It is unclear when someone needs to go on to get specialist advice, or face to face input. Even a recommendation on when to use the virtual consultation as part of the author’s listings on his website would be helpful.
Review details
Date of review: October 2022 Platform reviewed: Android and Apple
App developer
If you are the developer and would like to provide updated information about this app, please email the app library manager at applibrary@healthnavigator.org.nz.
Disclaimer: Health Navigator’s app library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.
Credits: Health Navigator Editorial Team. Reviewed By: Chris Lawrence, Community Physiotherapist
Last reviewed: 01 Nov 2022
Clinical review
Reviewer: Chris Lawrence, Community Physiotherapist Date of review: October 2022 Platform and Version: Android (1.0.18) and Apple (1.2 Build 1) Comments: The Pain Guru app is designed for individuals with lower back pain. The app helps with confirming a diagnosis, and provides information on different treatment options.
Overall, this app has the potential to be quite helpful. There are certainly challenges in New Zealand with the long delays getting in to see orthopaedic and pain management specialists. The concept of an app that could help with getting the right information, quickly, is a good one.
The diagnosis section of this app is good, and based on these questions (acknowledging the app based restrictions of this process) is likely to be fairly accurate.
The concerns at present are the way that treatment options are displayed. All treatment options are listed in a way that it is not necessarily obvious which is the right option for them to be trying.
Additionally, people with very minor episodes of back pain could become anxious reading through the different options, especially hearing about surgery.
Some of the views of different treatment options are controversial, and wouldn’t be widely endorsed by the entire medical profession.
At present, this app is an improvement on an individual googling their symptoms and trying to work out their diagnosis. This app would provide a more accurate diagnosis section, than an internet search. However, as it stands, the treatment section needs to be developed a bit further before it would be strongly recommended.
Safety concerns: There are obvious restrictions as to how accurately an app can diagnose an injury. An app cannot take into account any observation, movement, palpation, special tests or investigations that are typically included in an assessment.
As far as app-based diagnosing goes, the questioning is pretty good. However, of concern was the fact that it wasn’t clear when a user needed to be going to see a professional, based on the findings of their diagnosis.
New Zealand relevance: The app is created in NZ. There are no obvious statements around ACC or the NZ Health system.
