Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37685446›Full record

ArticleHealthcare (Basel, Switzerland)2023

Virtual Reality-Based Exercise Therapy for Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Scoping Review.

Paraskevi Bilika, Natalia Karampatsou, Giorgos Stavrakakis, Achilleas Paliouras, Yannis Theodorakis, Nikolaos Strimpakos, Eleni Kapreli

Open access · goldAbstract readScoping Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
14citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.6field-weighted citation impact, top 4% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.

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  9. Extended reality in anesthesia: a narrative review.Korean journal of anesthesiology · 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 1 institution in 2 countries.

Paraskevi BilikaClinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-5469-6793
Natalia KarampatsouClinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.
Giorgos StavrakakisClinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.
Achilleas PaliourasClinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.
Yannis TheodorakisExercise Psychology & Quality of Life Research Laboratory, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece.
Nikolaos StrimpakosHealth Assessment and Quality of Life Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-1287-1028
Eleni KapreliClinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation Research Laboratory, Physiotherapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 35100 Lamia, Greece.
University of Thessaly · GR

Funding

Special Account of Research Grants of the University of Thessaly 5600.03.06.01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This scoping review aimed to identify interventions utilizing virtual-reality-based exercise therapy in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Searches were conducted in four databases using descriptors related to virtual reality, exercise, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Two reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the studies to assess eligibility, with a third author resolving any discrepancies. Data were extracted and summarized in a narrative format by three independent raters. Clinical trials were evaluated using the PEDro scale to assess the effectiveness of virtual-reality-based exercise therapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain patients. A total of 162 articles were identified from the databases. After applying the inclusion criteria, nine articles were considered suitable for analysis, including six randomized clinical trials. The selected articles were categorized based on study characteristics, virtual-reality-based exercise therapy interventions (including technologies and equipment used), exercise interventions, outcome measures, and effectiveness. The findings indicate that virtual-reality-based exercise therapy shows promising results in reducing pain, improving disability, enhancing range of motion, and increasing treatment satisfaction in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. However, it is not possible to conclude that virtual-reality-based exercise therapy is superior to other treatments due to the limited number of available studies, heterogeneity in application protocols, and varying methodological quality. Further research is needed to draw more definitive conclusions.

Indexed as

chronic painexerciseexercise therapymusculoskeletal painvirtual reality

Identifiers

PMID37685446
PMCPMC10487144
OpenAlexW4386250424

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.