Author:
Álvarez de la Campa Crespo Mercè,Donegan Tony,Amestoy-Alonso Beñat,Just Andrea,Combalía Andrés,Sanchez-Vives Maria V.
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Recent evidence supports the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) as a means of delivering bodily illusions that may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. We wanted to investigate whether a single session of an embodiment-based immersive VR training program influences pain-free range of motion in patients with shoulder pain.
Methods
We designed a rehabilitation program based on developing ownership over a virtual body and then “exercising” the upper limb in immersive VR, while the real arm remains static. We then carried out a single-arm pre-post experiment in which 21 patients with movement-related musculoskeletal shoulder pain were exposed to the 15-min VR program and measured their active pain-free range of motion immediately before and afterwards.
Results
We found that shoulder abduction and hand-behind-back movements, but not shoulder flexion, were significantly and clinically improved post-intervention and that the level of improvement correlated with the level of embodiment. Following this one session, at 1-week follow-up the improvements were not maintained.
Conclusions
Virtual embodiment may be a useful therapeutic tool to help improve range of motion in patients with movement-related shoulder pain in the short term, which in turn could expedite rehabilitation and recovery in these conditions.
Funder
Departament de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya
Fundación Mutua Madrileña
Centres de Recerca de Catalunya
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine,Surgery
Cited by
1 articles.
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