Virtual Reality Program for Managing Chronic Neck Pain

NCT07189052 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: VRTR34T
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if a virtual reality-based rehabilitation program developed by our team can help people with chronic neck pain. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the VR program reduce neck pain?
• Does it improve daily function and quality of life? Participants will:
• Take part in a supervised virtual reality exercise program for 8 weeks, attending 3 sessions per week (24 sessions in total).
• Each session will last about 45 minutes.
• Complete tests and questionnaires about their pain, disability, and overall well-being before and after the program.

Conditions

Chronic Neck Pain

Keywords

virtual reality; serious gaming; chronic; neck; pain; rehabilitation; conventional; technologic

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Pain Intensity

  Pain severity will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), a 10-cm line ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain), where participants indicate their average neck pain intensity over the past week. Higher scores represent greater pain (worse outcome).

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

• Neck Disability

  Functional disability will be evaluated using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a 10-item self-report questionnaire assessing daily activities affected by neck pain. Each item is scored from 0 to 5, yielding a total score range of 0 (no disability) to 50 (maximum disability). Higher scores indicate greater disability (worse outcome).

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

• Cervical Range of Motion

  Cervical range of motion (flexion, extension, right/left lateral flexion, and right/left rotation) will be measured using the CROM device. Higher values indicate greater mobility.

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

• Proprioception

  Proprioceptive accuracy will be assessed by measuring joint position sense error in degrees using the CROM device. Higher error values indicate poorer position sense.

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Life Quality

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

• Kinesiophobia

  Baseline and at the end of the study.

• Treatment Adherence

  At the end of the study.

• Participant Satisfication

  At the end of the study.

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality Treatment Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive a virtual reality-based rehabilitation program developed by the investigators for individuals with chronic neck pain. The program includes four structured components: (1) diaphragmatic breathing with guided head movements in a seaside setting; (2) stretching performed through avatar-controlled jet-ski tasks to collect targets; (3) cervical range-of-motion exercises covering flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation; and (4) posture-strengthening tasks to promote scapular and postural control. All exercises correspond to conventional therapy content but are delivered as immersive, game-adapted tasks. The program will be delivered for 8 weeks, 2 sessions per week (16 sessions total), each lasting about 20 minutes.

Other: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation

Conventional Therapy Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive a therapist-guided physiotherapy program for chronic neck pain. The program includes: (1) diaphragmatic breathing, 10 repetitions; (2) trapezius stretching (right and left), 10 repetitions of 15 seconds each; (3) cervical range-of-motion exercises (flexion, extension, lateral flexion, rotation), 10 repetitions of 5 seconds each; and (4) posture-strengthening with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation for scapular retraction, 3 sets of 10 repetitions. The program will be delivered for 8 weeks, 2 sessions per week (16 sessions total), each lasting about 20 minutes.

Other: Conventional Rehabilitation

Interventions

Virtual Reality Rehabilitation OTHER

A virtual reality-based rehabilitation program including breathing, stretching, cervical range-of-motion, and posture-strengthening tasks delivered in a gamified seaside environment using a head-mounted VR display. Sessions will last 20 minutes, performed twice per week for 8 weeks (16 sessions total) under supervision.

Virtual Reality Treatment Group

Conventional Rehabilitation OTHER

Standard physiotherapy including diaphragmatic breathing, trapezius stretching, cervical range-of-motion, and posture-strengthening with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Sessions will last 20 minutes, performed twice per week for 8 weeks (16 sessions total) under supervision.

Conventional Therapy Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18-65 years
• Diagnosis of chronic neck pain (≥ 6 months duration)
• Ability to participate in rehabilitation sessions
• Willingness to provide written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Previous adverse experience with virtual reality
• Photophobia (UPSIS-12 score \> 12)
• Migraine (≥ 2 positive responses on ID-Migraine questionnaire)
• Presence of any neurological deficit
• History of spinal surgery
• Medical conditions interfering with participation, including orthopedic, inflammatory, cardiovascular, rheumatologic, or vestibular disorders
• Pregnancy
• Epilepsy or other neurological conditions causing photosensitivity
• Congenital spinal cord malformations

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hacettepe University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hacettepe University Department of neurosurgery

Ankara, Ankara, 06000, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Ruf M, Welk T, Muller M, Merk HR, Harms J. Ventral cancellous bone augmentation of the dens and temporary instrumentation C1/C2 as a function-preserving option in the treatment of dens pseudarthrosis. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2010 Jun;23(4):285-92. doi: 10.1097/BSD.0b013e3181aac6ff.

  PMID: 20110831 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome; Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Organizing Pneumonia; Bronchiolitis Obliterans; Bronchiolitis; Bronchitis; Bronchial Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Lung Diseases; Graft vs Host Disease; Immune System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Hatice Cetin, PhD

CONTACT

+905079153272; haticebitirim@hacettepe.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Hatice Çeitn, Asst.Prof.

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) virtual reality-based rehabilitation or (2) conventional therapy. Both groups will complete the same categories of therapeutic exercises (breathing, stretching, cervical range-of-motion, and posture-strengthening), but the VR group performs a gamified version in an immersive virtual environment.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2025
• First Posted: September 23, 2025
• Study Start: October 25, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 25, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 28, 2027
• Last Updated: September 29, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)