Efficacy of virtual reality to reduce chronic low back pain: Proof-of-concept of a non-pharmacological approach on pain, quality of life, neuropsychological and functional outcome

Abstract

Objectives Chronic pain, such as low-back pain, can be a highly disabling condition degrading people’s quality of life (QoL). Not every patient responds to pharmacological therapies, thus alternative treatments have to be developed. The chronicity of pain can lead to a somatic dysperception, meaning a mismatch between patients’ own body perception and its actual physical state. Since clinical evaluation of pain relies on patients’ subjective reports, a body image disruption can be associated with an incorrect pain rating inducing incorrect treatment and a possible risk of drug abuse. Our aim was to reduce chronic low-back pain through a multimodal neurorehabilitative strategy using innovative technologies to help patients regain a correct body image. Methods Twenty patients with chronic low-back pain were included. Before and after treatment, patients underwent: a neurological exam; a neuro-psychological evaluation testing cognitive functions (memory, attention, executive functions) and personality traits, QoL and mood; pain ratings; sensorimotor functional abilities’ testing. Patients underwent a 6 week-neurorehabilitative treatment (total 12 sessions) using virtual reality (VRRS system, Khymeia, Italy). Treatment consisted on teaching patients to execute correct movements with the painful body parts to regain a correct body image, based on the augmented multisensory feedback (auditory, visual) provided by the VRRS. Results Our data showed significant reductions in all pain rating scale scores (p<0.05); significant improvements of QoL in the domains of physical functioning, physical role functioning, bodily pain, vitality, and social role functioning; improvements in cognitive functions (p<0.05); improvements in functional scales (p<0.05) and mood (p = 0.04). Conclusion This non-pharmacological approach was able to act on the multi-dimensional aspects of pain and improved patients’ QoL, pain intensity, mood and patient’s functional abilities.

The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Rehabilitation in Patients with Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis

“…The effect of treadmill training with VR on improving body stability in children with spastic cerebral palsy has been demonstrated [ 59 ]. The effectiveness of VR training focused on body balance has been demonstrated in functional improvement in patients after strokes [ 60 , 61 ], with back pain [ 62 ], as well as in gait re-education and improvement of body balance in patients after TKA [ 63 ]. Blasco et al [ 41 ] researched the efficacy of VR tools for total knee replacement and suggested that an augmented Virtual Reality Tools (VRT) physical therapy could be more effective for overcoming balance limitations than standard physical therapy.…”

Virtual reality in pain therapy: a requirements analysis for older adults with chronic back pain

“…Nevertheless, there is a lack of research not only in this respect. In general, less research has been done in the field of augmented reality in connection with pain therapy compared to VR [16,38]. Besides, AR systems and their applications are more cost-intensive compared to VR.…”

Virtual Reality in Pain Therapy: A Requirements Analysis for Older Adults with Chronic Back Pain

“…Nevertheless, there is a lack of research not only in this respect. In general, less research has been done in the eld of augmented reality in connection with pain therapy compared to VR [16,38]. Besides, AR systems and their applications are more cost-intensive compared to VR.…”