Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33077900›Full record

Trial reportSpinal cord2021

The short-term effects of head-mounted virtual-reality on neuropathic pain intensity in people with spinal cord injury pain: a randomised cross-over pilot study.

Philip D Austin, Ashley Craig, James W Middleton, Yvonne Tran, Daniel S J Costa, Paul J Wrigley, Philip J Siddall

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Spinal cord, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07254767 (Combination of Visuo-proprioceptive Virtual Walking and Neuromodulation to Reduce Neuropathic Pain in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury), which is not on this map. Cited by 26 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07254767 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Combination of Visuo-proprioceptive Virtual Walking and Neuromodulation to Reduce Neuropathic Pain in Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

TypeinterventionalSponsorCentre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater MontrealRan2025 to 2027Enrolled10ConditionsNeuropathic PainArmsTranscranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) combined with virtual reality and muscle vibration
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Comparative efficacy of common rehabilitation treatments for patients with neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2025
    Pooled it
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  6. Feasibility and acceptability of virtual reality for cancer pain in people receiving palliative care: a randomised cross-over study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022
    Trial
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  12. Virtual Reality Interventions and Chronic Pain: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Philip D AustinDepartment of Pain Management, HammondCare, Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Sydney, NSW, Australia. paustin@hammond.com.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4627-5873
Ashley CraigJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Kolling Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7647-7604
James W MiddletonJohn Walsh Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Northern Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Kolling Institute, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Yvonne TranCentre of Healthcare Resilience and Implementation Science, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Daniel S J CostaFaculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Paul J WrigleyFaculty of Medicine and Health, Pain Management Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0960-4102
Philip J SiddallDepartment of Pain Management, HammondCare, Greenwich Hospital, Greenwich, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
The University of Sydney · AUGreenwich Hospital · USMacquarie University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

STUDY

designWithin-subject, randomised cross-over trial.

objectivesTo determine whether a commercially available 3D head-mounted (HMD) virtual reality (VR) device results in significant reductions in neuropathic pain compared to using a 2D screen device in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

settingGreenwich Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

methodsSixteen men with established SCI and chronic neuropathic pain participated in a single-session randomised cross-over trial. We compared the effects of 3D HMD VR and a 2D screen application on SCI neuropathic pain intensity and levels of perceived presence.

resultsParticipants reported significantly lower pain intensity after 3D HMD VR compared to 2D screen application (1.9 ± SD 1.8 versus 3.4 ± SD 1.6, mean 95% CI: 1.5, P < 0.0001). Participants reported significantly higher perceived levels of presence with the 3D HMD VR compared to 2D screen of (49.6 ± SD 8.9 versus 32.8 ± SD 11.1, mean 95% CI: 16.6, P < 0.0001). Increased perceived presence was associated with significantly lower pain intensity regardless of randomised sequencing of the two conditions (mean 95% CI: 0.06, P = 0.005). Effect size for pain reduction using 3D HMD VR was 0.80.

conclusionsWe suggest that 3D HMD VR may provide neuropathic pain relief for people with SCI. Given the lack of cybersickness and ease of access, we propose that immersive VR could be a helpful adjunct to current pharmacotherapy. Further research is required to show that VR can be effective for more long-term reductions in SCI pain.

Indexed as

NeuralgiaSpinal Cord InjuriesVirtual RealityCross-Over StudiesHumansMalePilot Projects

Identifiers

PMID33077900
OpenAlexW3092667344

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.