Pathogenic Factor Analysis of Shoulder Periarthritis and Design of Virtual Reality Exercise Intervention System

Shoulder periarthritis, a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder, causes significant pain and functional impairment, severely affecting patients' quality of life. With the increasing incidence of shoulder periarthritis linked to modern lifestyle changes, effective prevention and treatment strategies remain elusive. This study explores two areas: first, identifying risk factors for shoulder periarthritis through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, and second, designing a motion intervention system incorporating MediaPipe and virtual reality (VR) technology. The MR analysis revealed positive causal relationships between shoulder periarthritis and body mass index (BMI), cigarettes per day, insomnia, and sedentary behavior, while higher educational attainment was inversely associated with the condition. Based on these findings, we developed a "VR Harvest" exercise system aimed at alleviating shoulder stiffness due to prolonged sitting and reducing shoulder pain. By adjusting task difficulty to increase physical activity, the system also facilitates BMI reduction, potentially lowering the risk of shoulder periarthritis. The experimental results indicate that the "VR Harvest" therapy effectively alleviates pain and, compared to traditional exercise therapy, offers greater enjoyment, thereby enhancing participant engagement. Moreover, participants across different BMI categories experienced reductions in BMI after completing the intervention. This study offers a novel approach for shoulder periarthritis prevention and treatment, leveraging VR technology to improve both symptom relief and underlying risk factors.