Virtual reality analgesia for burn joint flexibility: A randomized controlled trial.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation medicine
• Pain management
• Human-computer interaction

Background:

• Burn injuries often necessitate intensive physical therapy, which can be extremely painful.
• Managing pain and improving range of motion (ROM) are critical for recovery and function after severe burns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of virtual reality (VR) distraction on pain perception and ROM during active physical therapy exercises in hospitalized burn patients.
• To assess the effect of VR on patient experience during rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled study with a within-subjects design was conducted.
• Thirty-nine participants with significant burn injuries performed active ROM exercises with and without VR distraction.
• Pain was measured using a Graphic Rating Scale (GRS), and active ROM was measured with a goniometer.

Main Results:

• Participants reported significantly lower pain ratings (worst pain, unpleasantness, time thinking about pain) when using VR distraction.
• The overall experience during VR distraction was rated as more positive compared to exercising without VR.
• No significant difference in maximum active ROM was observed between the VR and no-VR conditions.

Conclusions:

• Immersive virtual reality (VR) is an effective tool for reducing pain during patient-controlled active range of motion (ROM) exercises in burn rehabilitation.
• VR distraction can enhance the patient experience during painful physical therapy sessions.
• While VR improves pain management, its effect on improving ROM in this context requires further investigation.