Journal
NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR
Volume 35, Issue 12, Pages 1100-1111Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/15459683211054164
Keywords
Phantom limb; phantom limb pain; virtual reality; amputation
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Funding
- NIH Clinical Center [R21NS099645]
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Immersive VR activities can reduce phantom limb pain in subjects with lower-limb amputation. Both treatments, one without leg movements and one with leg motions, were successful in reducing PLP by 28% and 39.6% respectively.
Background Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a common and in some cases debilitating consequence of upper- or lower-limb amputation for which current treatments are inadequate. Objective This small clinical trial tested whether game-like interactions with immersive VR activities can reduce PLP in subjects with transtibial lower-limb amputation. Methods Seven participants attended 5-7 sessions in which they engaged in a visually immersive virtual reality experience that did not require leg movements (Cool! (TM)), followed by 10-12 sessions of targeted lower-limb VR treatment consisting of custom games requiring leg movement. In the latter condition, they controlled an avatar with 2 intact legs viewed in a head-mounted display (HTC Vive (TM)). A motion-tracking system mounted on the intact and residual limbs controlled the movements of both virtual extremities independently. Results All participants except one experienced a reduction of pain immediately after VR sessions, and their pre session pain levels also decreased over the course of the study. At a group level, PLP decreased by 28% after the treatment that did not include leg movements and 39.6% after the games requiring leg motions. Both treatments were successful in reducing PLP. Conclusions This VR intervention appears to be an efficacious treatment for PLP in subjects with lower-limb amputation.
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