Virtual reality and chronic low back pain.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Pain Management
• Digital Health Technologies

Background:

• Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading cause of disability, often unresponsive to conventional treatments.
• Virtual reality (VR) presents an emerging, non-pharmacological strategy for pain management, including CLBP.
• VR is a computer-generated simulation that alters users' perception of their environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the therapeutic potential of VR for CLBP.
• To explore the mechanisms underlying VR's effects on CLBP.
• To discuss clinical applications and ethical considerations of VR in pain rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of peer-reviewed literature.
• Systematic search strategy employed for literature identification.
• Data extraction conducted by a single reviewer.

Main Results:

• VR has shown efficacy in reducing acute, experimental, and chronic pain.
• Potential therapeutic mechanisms for CLBP include distraction, neuromodulation, and graded exposure therapy.
• VR may be more effective for CLBP patients with kinesiophobia and higher immersion levels.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality is a viable alternative to opioids for managing acute and chronic pain.
• The therapeutic mechanisms of VR for CLBP involve distraction, neuromodulation, and graded exposure.
• VR's efficacy may be enhanced in patients with kinesiophobia and with greater immersion.