This study will determine if occupational therapy or the combination of occupational therapy and virtual reality is the better treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP)patients.
Chronic musculoskeletal pain is defined as persistent or recurrent pain lasting more than 3 months. Chronic pain is a complex and disabling physiological and psychosocial disorder that does not provide an adaptive or protective purpose. In chronic pain, the precipitating event (e.g., fracture, sprain, trauma) is healed, and yet excessive pain remains. In Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) people experience a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment via a computer headset. IVR has been used to treat acute pain, but there have been few focused studies on the effects of IVR on chronic pain. When people with chronic pain are in IVR, they become unaware of their body and tend to move normally. We would like to test to see if IVR has a lasting effect in this study. Thus, IVR has strong potential as an additional tool in an arsenal of treatments for chronic pain. This study will examine if IVR can reduce pain and other symptoms in people with chronic pain.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
32
Occupational therapy helps individuals with chronic pain to participate in daily activities in an adaptive way. The subjects will be provided with customized plans and objectives to address their self-care, vocational, and leisure goals. This includes education, home exercises, stress management, home safety, energy conservation, and work simplification - all of which promote a safe return to daily activities.
The occupational therapy +VR utilizes the regular therapy sessions along with providing a Virtual reality headset to relieve pain. After each VR session, there will be a debriefing from the therapist.
UPMC Centers for Rehab Services Centre Commons
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Changes from Baseline in average rating of chronic pain at 3 months using Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Numeric Pain Rating questionnaire will assess how much a person hurts with a question ranked on a 11-point scale, from "0 = no pain" to "10 = worst pain imaginable." The minimum raw summed score is 0 and the maximum score is 10. Lower raw response scores suggest lower pain intensity and better outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline vs 3 months
Change from Baseline self-efficacy using Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ).
Change from Baseline Pain Self Efficacy at 3 months using Pain Self Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ). The questionnaire will assess how confident a person feels despite the pain with 10 questions ranked on a 7-point scale, from "0 = not at all confident" to "6 = Completely confident".
Time frame: Baseline vs 3 months
Change from Baseline fear of movement using the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK).
The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) questionnaire will assess fear of movement with 17 questions ranked on a 1-4 scale, from "1 = Strongly disagree" to the "4 = Strongly agree." Lower scores suggest lower fear of movement.
Time frame: Baseline vs 3 months
Change from Baseline Pain Intensity at 3 months using PROMIS-29
The PROMIS Numeric Rating Scale v2.0 questionnaire will assess how much a person hurts with a question ranked on a 11-point scale, from "0 = no pain" to "10 = worst imaginable pain." The minimum raw summed score is 0 and the maximum score is 10. Lower raw response scores suggest lower pain intensity and better outcomes.
Time frame: Baseline vs 3 months
Change from Baseline participation and scaling at 3 months using Goal Attainment Scale (GAS)
The Goal Attainment Scale will assess the response to participation based on a 5 point scale ranging from "+2 = MUCH more than expected" to "-2 = MUCH less than expected".HIgher scores suggest higher response to participation.
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Time frame: Baseline vs 3 months