Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Alex O. Rothbaum, Libby R. Tannenbaum, Elana Zimand, Barbara Olasov Rothbaum
Summary: Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) is a common health issue, and traditional treatments have limitations. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) is a validated technique without impairing side effects. This study investigates the usability and efficacy of a VR-based PMR program for CLBP management.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Antonio J. Marques, Paulo Gomes Veloso, Margarida Araujo, Raquel Simoes de Almeida, Antonio Correia, Javier Pereira, Cristina Queiros, Rui Pimenta, Anabela S. Pereira, Carlos F. Silva
Summary: This study compared the effects of VR and 2D videos on enhancing empathy, knowledge, and attitudes towards people with schizophrenia among higher education health students. The findings suggest that VR is more effective, but both methods can lead to attitude and knowledge change.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Eric J. Roseen, Adlin Pinheiro, Chelsey M. Lemaster, Dorothy Plumb, Shihwe Wang, A. Rani Elwy, Chris C. Streeter, Susan Lynch, Erik Groessl, Karen J. Sherman, Janice Weinberg, Robert B. Saper
Summary: This study investigated the effects of yoga and education on patients with chronic low back pain and found that yoga was not more effective than education in improving pain and disability outcomes. However, participants in the yoga group reported greater improvements and higher satisfaction with treatment.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Deirdre E. Logan, Laura E. Simons, Thomas J. Caruso, Jeffrey Gold, Walter Greenleaf, Anya Griffin, Christopher D. King, Maria Menendez, Vanessa A. Olbrecht, Samuel Rodriguez, Megan Silvia, Jennifer N. Stinson, Ellen Wang, Sara E. Williams, Luke Wilson
Summary: The INOVATE-Pain consortium aims to advance the field of VR for pediatric chronic pain management by providing guidance for best practices in design, evaluation, and dissemination of VR-based interventions. Through an interdisciplinary meeting, the consortium identified key directions for research-driven innovation and established consensus on best methodological practices for future efforts in this area. Key ingredients for success include productive partnerships, standardized evaluation measures, and access to latest tools and resources.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Rehabilitation
Christopher Tack
Summary: Virtual reality technology is considered as an alternative treatment for chronic low back pain, which can effectively reduce acute, experimental, and chronic pain through mechanisms such as distraction, neuromodulation, and graded exposure therapy. Ethical issues should be considered when applying this technology in clinical settings.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION-ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Oskar Stamm, Rebecca Dahms, Norbert Reithinger, Aaron Russ, Ursula Mueller-Werdan
Summary: Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) with head-mounted displays (HMD) has the potential to be an effective tool for increasing exercise adherence in older adults with chronic back pain (CBP). However, the effectiveness of interactive multimodal therapy in VR for older CBP patients is still unknown. This exploratory randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the preliminary effectiveness of VR multimodal therapy for older adults with CBP over a four-week period. Although the VR therapy did not achieve the same level of pain intensity reduction as conventional multimodal therapy, both groups showed a reduction in pain intensity. The functional capacity of the VR therapy group improved, but there were no significant changes in fear avoidance beliefs and general physical and mental health in either group.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Hyun Suk Lee, Junga Lee
Summary: Virtual reality technology positively impacts elementary school physical education classes, improving students' interest and engagement in PE class. Future research should focus on developing a variety of VR sports programs for different grade levels to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their impact on students' learning experiences.
Article
Anesthesiology
Christopher Eccleston, Emma Fisher, Sammeli Liikkanen, Toni Sarapohja, Carina Stenfors, Satu K. Jaaskelainen, Andrew S. C. Rice, Leena Mattila, Taru Blom, J. Raymond Bratty
Summary: Adults with chronic low back pain were recruited for a trial of a novel digital therapeutic intervention called DTxP. The study found that participants in the DTxP group reported greater reductions in fear of movement and better global impression of change when compared with sham placebo and standard care post treatment. No other significant group differences were noted at posttreatment or follow-up.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Laura M. Garcia, Brandon J. Birckhead, Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy, Josh Sackman, Ian G. Mackey, Robert G. Louis, Vafi Salmasi, Todd Maddox, Beth D. Darnall
Summary: Home-based VR program EaseVRx showed high user satisfaction and superior symptom reduction in average pain intensity and pain-related interference with activity, mood, and stress compared to sham VR during a remote, randomized placebo-controlled trial. Further research is needed to assess the long-term effects and mechanisms of treatment.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Anesthesiology
A. Chuan, J. J. Zhou, R. M. Hou, C. J. Stevens, A. Bogdanovych
Summary: Virtual reality has shown promising effects in pain management, but the evidence base in adult patients is currently limited. More rigorous studies are needed to validate the use of virtual reality as a non-pharmacological adjunct in multimodal pain management for acute and chronic pain.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Laura Garcia, Brandon Birckhead, Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy, Ian Mackey, Josh Sackman, Vafi Salmasi, Robert Louis, Carina Castro, Roselani Maddox, Todd Maddox, Beth Darnall
Summary: This study found that an 8-week home-based virtual reality pain management program could significantly reduce pain intensity and interference caused by chronic low back pain for up to 6 months posttreatment. The program also showed superiority in reducing pain-related interference with activity, stress, and sleep.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Xiliang Yang, Jiahui Mei, Shaoyujia Xiao, Jinlei Xi, Xiaolu Cao, Ying Zheng
Summary: This study aims to evaluate pharmacy students' perspectives, behavioral and attitude characteristics in the process of virtual reality simulation (VRS) course. The results showed that most students believed that VRS could help them improve practical ability, autonomous learning, and theoretical knowledge. However, a minority of students perceived VRS courses as indispensable and in need of improvement. The study also found a positive correlation between students' perception of VRS and their attitude, behavior, and acceptance of it.
SAUDI PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Erin Macintyre, Maja Sigerseth, Thomas Fiskeseth Larsen, Michel Meulders, Ann Meulders, Bart Michiels, Felicity A. Braithwaite, Tasha R. Stanton, Kjartan Vibe Fersum
Summary: This study found that a gamified VR graded activity intervention significantly reduced pain intensity and catastrophizing in people with CLBP. The intervention also showed high adherence and enjoyment. Given that the intervention used two freely available VR programs, it can be easily translated into clinical practice.
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Marika Dy, Kristan Olazo, Sarah Lisker, Ellenor Brown, Anindita Saha, Jessica Weinberg, Urmimala Sarkar
Summary: This study reviewed the usability of virtual reality (VR) for chronic pain management within historically marginalized populations. It found that few studies have included older individuals, those with limited education, or racial and ethnic diversity. While VR shows promise for chronic pain management, further research is needed to develop VR systems that are effective for diverse patients.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Ulla Bunz, Jonmichael Seibert, Joshua Hendrickse
Summary: The study developed the Attitudes towards Virtual Reality Technology Scale (AVRTS) to address the deficiency of scales measuring attitudes toward virtual reality technology. The scale consists of three factors: ease of use, usefulness, and enjoyment. Construct validity and internal validity were established through correlation and reliability analysis.
