Virtual Reality for Persistent Low Back Pain
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Do embodiment-based and distraction-based immersive virtual reality approaches alter pain processing mechanisms and patient-reported outcome measures differently in people with persistent low back pain?
IRAS ID
320435
Contact name
Valerie Sparkes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cardiff University
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
NA, NA
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 28 days
Research summary
Immersive virtual reality is the presentation of an artificial environment delivered using a head-mounted headset Two approaches to immersive virtual reality have shown promising results in people with chronic pain: One is distraction where the artificial environment is used to distract the user’s attention away from their pain. This approach is where the person sits and watches a scene that appears in the headset. The other approach is embodiment approach, where the user sees a virtual body in the artificial environment through the headset and has the sensation that they themselves are located inside the virtual body and can move with the virtual body. Both approaches appear reduce pain and improve physical activity in people with persistent low back pain. But, how immersive reality works to achieve positive results is not known and we do not know which approach is better than the other. It is important to understand how immersive virtual reality works so that treatment can be more focused for the people with low back pain. This study will see if there are differences between embodiment and distraction immersive virtual reality and if they reduce pain and improve activity in people with persistent low back pain. We will gather participants' opinions about using Immersive virtual reality during the study once people have completed the study. Forty people with persistent Low back pain will receive an introductory session followed by eight sessions of immersive virtual reality over two weeks, followed by follow-up questionnaires and pain testing after four weeks and will gather opinions on using immersive virtual reality from some people. Twenty people will receive embodiment immersive Virtual reality and 20 people will receive distraction immersive virtual reality. We will measure function using questionnaires and pain using a questionnaire and special equipment to test how much pain people feel.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EE/0083
Date of REC Opinion
30 May 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion