RT journal article
T1 Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Exercise for Pain Management in Fibromyalgia: An Exploratory Study with Risk of Poor Outcomes Stratification
A1 Carvajal-Parodi, Claudio
A1 Arias-Álvarez, Gonzalo
A1 Ulloa-Díaz, David
A1 Romero-Vera, Luis
A1 Andrades-Ramírez, Oscar
A1 Guede-Rojas, Francisco
A1 Ponce González, Jesús Gustavo
A2 Didáctica de la Educación FísicaPlástica y Musical
K1 exercise
K1 fibromyalgia
K1 numeric rating scale
K1 pressure pain threshold
K1 risk of poor outcomes
K1 virtual reality
AB Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by persistent widespread pain that severely impacts quality of life. Immersive virtual reality-based exercise (iVRE) is emerging as a therapeutic modality for chronic pain management. However, research on iVRE in FM patients has primarily focused on perceived pain intensity (PI), with limited exploration of underlying analgesic mechanisms. This study aims to explore the effects of iVRE on PI, considering risk of poor outcomes (RPO) stratification, and on mechanical pain sensitivity (MPS) in FM. A single-arm, uncontrolled, pre-post-test exploratory study was conducted in subjects with FM. The intervention included 2 weekly 15-min iVRE sessions for 6 weeks. PI (numeric rating scale [NRS]) and MPS (pressure pain thresholds [PPTs] at the upper trapezius, lumbar spine, and knee) were assessed at baseline, after the first session (to assess exercise-induced hypoalgesia), and postintervention. RPO was assessed using the Keele STarT MSK Tool. Eleven participants completed the study. No adverse effects were reported. Clinically important reductions were observed in PI (mean difference [MD]: −2.36, 95% CI: [−4.15, −0.58], d = 0.89; p < 0.05) with this effect being associated with baseline RPO. No observable changes were found in PPTs (all 95% CIs included 0, p > 0.05). In this sample, iVRE appears to reduce PI but not PPTs, suggesting the persistence of MPS and limitations in activating endogenous pain inhibitory mechanisms. Further randomized controlled trials with larger samples are needed to corroborate these results.
PB Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
SN 2076-3417
YR 2025
FD 2025
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38718
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/38718
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 10-nov-2026