Model System:

Burn

Reference Type:

JA

Accession No.:

J57175

Journal:


JOURNAL OF BURN CARE & RESEARCH

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 30, 5, 785-791

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Few studies bave empirically investigated the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) on postburn physical therapy pain control and range of motion (ROM). We performed a prospeetive, randomized controlled study of the effects of adding VR to standard therapy in adults receiving active-assisted ROM physical therapy, by assessing pain scores and maximal joint ROM immediately before and after therapy on two consecutive days. Thirty-nine inpatients, aged 21 to 57 years (mean 35 years), with a mean TBSA burn of 18% (range, 3-60%) were studied using a within-subject, crossover design. All patients received their regular pretberapy pharmacologic analgesia regimen. Duling physical therapy sessions on two consecutive days (VR one day and no VR the other day; order randomized), each patient participated in active-assisted ROM exercises with an ocrupational or physical therapist. At the con.elusion of each session, patients provided 0 tO'l 00 Graphic Rating Scale measurements of pain after each lO-minute treatment condition. On the day with VR, patients wore a head-position-tracked, medical care envirorunent-e)(cluding VB.. helmet with stereophonic sound and interacted in a virtual envirorunent conducive to burn care. ROM measurements for each joint exercised were recorded before and after each therapy session. Because of nonsignificant carryover and order eff ects, the data were analyzed using simple paired t-tests. VR reduced all Graphic Rating Scale pain scores (worst pain, time spent thinking about the pain, and pain unpleasantness by 27, 37, and 31% respectively), relative to the no VR condition. Average ROM improvement was slighdy greater with the VR condition; however, this difference failed to reach clinical or statistical significance (P = .243). Ninety-seven percent of patients reported zero to mild nausea after the VR session. Immersive VR effectively reduced pain and did not impair ROM during postbnrn physical therapy. VR is easily used in the hospital setting and offers a safe, nonpharmacologic adjunctive
analgesic treatment. (J Burn Care Res 2009;30:785-791 )

Author(s):


Carrougher, G, Hoffman, H, Nakamura, D, Lezotte, D, Soltani, M, Leahy, L, Engrav, L, Patterson, D

Participating Centers: