NCT07309627

VR Therapy Effects in Lumbar Disc Herniation

Effect of Virtual Reality-Based Rehabilitation on Balance, Pain, Kinesiophobia, Depression, and Quality of Life in Individuals With Lumbar Disc Herniation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 93 (actual)
• Sponsor: Uskudar University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effects of incorporating virtual reality (VR) therapy into routine physical therapy (RPT) on balance, pain, kinesiophobia, quality of life, and depression in individuals diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Detailed description

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of adding virtual reality (VR) therapy to routine physical therapy (RPT) on balance, pain, kinesiophobia, quality of life, and depression in individuals with lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Methods: A total of 93 patients diagnosed with LDH will be randomly assigned into two groups: an intervention group (n=47) and a control group (n=46). Both groups will undergo a conventional physical therapy program consisting of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), vacuum interference, heat application, and ultrasound therapy. In addition to the conventional program, the intervention group will receive VR-based therapy. Participants will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention period using the following outcome measures: balance assessed by the Nintendo Balance Board-based Balance System; activities of daily living assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index; back pain intensity assessed by the Visual Analog Scale; kinesiophobia assessed by the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale; quality of life assessed by the Short Form-36 questionnaire; and depression assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory.

Conditions

• Lumbar Disc Herniation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Conventional Physiotherapy	TENS, superficial and deep heat therapy, and interferential current + strengthening, stretching, and postural correction exercises Three times per week for six weeks, each session lasting 40 minutes,
OTHER	VR	The Virtual Reality (VR) group : conventional treatment in combination with a VR application (Balance System Assessment System and Active Video Games), (consisting of six different games at three difficulty levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). Each game lasted for 2 minutes and was repeated twice. Over six weeks, both groups completed a total of 18 sessions (3 sessions per week)

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-11-01
• Primary completion: 2023-12-31
• Completion: 2023-12-31
• First posted: 2025-12-30
• Last updated: 2026-04-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)