Integrating Telemedicine and Embodied Virtual Reality: A Novel Functional Training Intervention for Chronic Shoulder...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Virtual Reality Therapy
• Musculoskeletal Pain Management

Background:

• Chronic shoulder pain significantly impacts quality of life and poses a socioeconomic burden.
• Traditional rehabilitation methods may have limitations in accessibility and patient engagement.
• Telemedicine offers a potential solution for delivering healthcare services remotely.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of virtual embodiment (VE) functional rehabilitation for chronic shoulder pain.
• To assess the impact of VE delivered via telemedicine on pain, function, and psychological factors.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using VR technology for remote rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Ten patients with chronic shoulder pain participated in an 8-week program.
• Rehabilitation involved three weekly sessions using an Oculus Quest VR headset and hand controllers.
• Exercises incorporated graded motor imagery techniques, including visual mirror feedback and avatar movement augmentation.
• Assessments included Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Upper Extremity Functional Index (UEFI), and psychological measures.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in disability (DASH), function (UEFI), pain catastrophizing, fear avoidance beliefs, and self-efficacy.
• Virtual embodiment training demonstrated a positive effect on multiple domains of chronic shoulder pain.
• No significant changes were noted in quality of life (SF-36) or fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia).

Conclusions:

• Telemedicine-enabled virtual embodiment functional rehabilitation is a promising approach for managing chronic shoulder pain.
• This VR-based therapy can effectively improve functional outcomes and reduce psychological distress associated with chronic pain.
• Further research is warranted to explore long-term effects and broader applications.