SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2024
Immersive and Nonimmersive Virtual Reality-Assisted Active Training in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 28 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Non-Immersive Virtual Reality for Gait and Balance Training With Rehametrics in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Protocol for a Pre-post Single Group Pilot Study
Use of Virtual Reality in Outpatient Management of Pediatric Chronic Pain of Head, Neck and Upper Extremity
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of Digital Health Interventions in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Virtual reality based-rehabilitation for chronic neck pain: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026Pooled it
- Application of Digital Health Technologies in Scoliosis Rehabilitation: Systematic Review Based on the Technology Classification Framework.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of Various Virtual Reality Exposure Therapies for Chronic Low Back Pain: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Clinical Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality Exercise Interventions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Virtual reality in neurorehabilitation for musculoskeletal disorders: a bibliometric analysis from 2010 to 2025.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Pooled it
- The Efficacy of Virtual Reality on the Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Diseases: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Pain Management in Musculoskeletal Disorders Across Anatomical Regions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Musculoskeletal care · 2025Pooled it
- The effectiveness of virtual reality in people with osteoporosis or osteopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of virtual reality with different modalities on upper limb recovery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis on optimizing stroke rehabilitation.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Virtual reality for the management of musculoskeletal pain: an umbrella review.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Pooled it
- The effectiveness of virtual reality-based exercises in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: randomized controlled study.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2026Trial
- Effects of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Exercise on Self-Reported Pain and Mechanical Hyperalgesia in Older Adults with Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Trial
- Evaluating Whether Nonimmersion Virtual Reality Simulation Training Improves Nursing Competency in Isolation Wards: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Controlled Trial: Addressing Kinesiophobia in Post-Meniscoplasty Patients Through Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training and Acupressure.Pain research & management · 2025Trial
- Virtual reality for chronic primary low back pain in adults: systematic review protocol.Systematic reviews · 2026Article
- Therapeutic Use of Virtual Reality for Patients With Fibromyalgia and Chronic Neck Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2026Article
- Translating behavioral interventions into virtual reality: theFrontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Physiotherapy Interventions on Pain, Range of Motion, and Gait Function in a Juvenile Hip Arthritis Patient: A Case Report.Case reports in medicine · 2026Article
- Psychological and emotional benefits of virtual reality-based exercise for postpartum women with lumbopelvic pain: A randomized controlled trial.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVirtual reality (VR) in different immersive conditions has been increasingly used as a nonpharmacological method for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain.
objectiveWe aimed to assess the effectiveness of VR-assisted active training versus conventional exercise or physiotherapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain and to analyze the effects of immersive versus nonimmersive VR on pain outcomes.
methodsThis systematic review of randomized control trials (RCTs) searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to June 9, 2024. RCTs comparing adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain receiving VR-assisted training were included. The primary outcome was pain intensity; secondary outcomes included functional disability and kinesiophobia. Available data were pooled in a meta-analysis. Studies were graded using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool version 2.
resultsIn total, 28 RCTs including 1114 participants with some concerns for a high risk of bias were identified, and 25 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. In low back pain, short-term outcomes measured post intervention showed that nonimmersive VR is effective in reducing pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] -1.79, 95% CI -2.72 to -0.87; P<.001), improving disability (SMD -0.44, 95% CI -0.72 to -0.16; P=.002), and kinesiophobia (SMD -2.94, 95% CI -5.20 to -0.68; P=.01). Intermediate-term outcomes measured at 6 months also showed that nonimmersive VR is effective in reducing pain (SMD -8.15, 95% CI -15.29 to -1.01; P=.03), and kinesiophobia (SMD -4.28, 95% CI -8.12 to -0.44; P=.03) compared to conventional active training. For neck pain, immersive VR reduced pain intensity (SMD -0.55, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.08; P=.02) but not disability and kinesiophobia in the short term. No statistical significances were detected for knee pain or other pain regions at all time points. In addition, 2 (8%) studies had a high risk of bias.
conclusionsBoth nonimmersive and immersive VR-assisted active training is effective in reducing back and neck pain symptoms. Our study findings suggest that VR is effective in alleviating chronic musculoskeletal pain.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42022302912; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=302912.
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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.