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Updated: Jun 24, 2025
Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures
Published on: August 29, 2018
Virtual Reality Facilitated Exercise Increases Sympathetic Activity and Reduces Pain Perception: A Randomized
Samuel T Rodriguez1, Nathan Makarewicz, Ellen Y Wang
1From the Stanford Chariot Program, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, California (STR, NM, EYW, MZ-H, JT, MYS, TJC); Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California (STR, EYW, CJ, TJC), Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California (NM), and Stanford University Graduate School of Education, Stanford, California (OR, TJC).
Virtual reality-facilitated exercise increases sympathetic activity but reduces pain perception compared to virtual reality alone. This suggests it may be a valuable tool for pain management in physical therapy and chronic pain settings.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Pain Management
Background:
- Virtual reality (VR) and exercise are non-pharmacological methods for pain reduction.
- Understanding the physiological modulation of pain perception is crucial for developing effective pain management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how virtual reality-facilitated exercise influences sympathetic nervous system activity and pain perception.
- To compare the effects of VR-facilitated exercise versus VR alone on pain and sympathetic response.
Main Methods:
- A randomized crossover study involving 110 healthy adults.
- Participants underwent a cold pressor test with VR and VR-facilitated exercise, with conditions crossed over.
- Sympathetic activation, pain sensation, and pain tolerance were measured during both interventions.
Main Results:
- Sympathetic activity was significantly higher during VR-facilitated exercise (P < 0.0001).
- Pain sensation scores were initially higher with VR-facilitated exercise but decreased below VR alone by the intervention's end (P = 0.0175).
- No significant difference in pain tolerance was observed between the two conditions (P = 0.18).
Conclusions:
- VR-facilitated exercise effectively reduces pain perception compared to VR alone, indicating its potential as a pain management tool.
- While not improving pain tolerance, VR-facilitated exercise shows promise for physical therapy and chronic pain management.
- Further research may explore its application in diverse pain populations.
