Effectiveness of an IVR-based Therapeutic Exercise Program With Altered Visual Feedback in Fibromyalgia Patients (IVR-F)

Cardenal Herrera University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Fibromyalgia

Treatments: Other: Immersive Virtual Reality; Other: Physical Activity

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06948500

UNIVERSITY CARDENAL HERRERA-80

CEEI25/643 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial is to determine the efficacy of a 6-week immersive virtual reality (IVR)-based therapeutic exercise intervention, which manipulates visual proprioceptive input during exercise, for patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM). Participants will be randomly allocated into two groups: an experimental group performing therapeutic exercises integrated with IVR featuring modified visual feedback, and a control group executing identical exercises without IVR integration. The primary outcome will assess the impact of fibromyalgia on daily activities, while secondary outcomes will comprehensively evaluate fatigue, sleep quality, severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, health-related quality of life, anxiety and depressive symptoms, fear-avoidance beliefs, pain catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, indicators of central sensitization, lumbar spine flexion and extension range of motion, somatosensory function, body perception distortion, muscle strength of the handgrip and quadriceps, functional mobility, lower limb strength, behavioral regulation concerning exercise adherence, and patient-reported experiences regarding IVR use. This trial seeks to elucidate whether incorporating IVR into therapeutic exercise protocols reduces the impact of fibromyalgia on patients' daily lives and improves physiological, psychological, and physical outcomes compared to traditional exercise approaches without IVR.

Full description

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and multifactorial condition marked by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and various neurocognitive and psychosomatic symptoms, severely impacting quality of life and increasing healthcare costs. Although therapeutic exercise is a first-line, evidence-based treatment, its implementation is often hindered by low adherence, kinesiophobia, and maladaptive pain beliefs. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has gained attention as a novel approach to enhance exercise efficacy through sensory immersion, cognitive distraction, and embodiment. Visual feedback manipulation in IVR-such as creating the illusion of reduced movement-has been shown to increase range of motion and engagement without intensifying perceived pain or effort. While non-immersive VR systems have shown benefits in symptom management and adherence, IVR appears to offer superior outcomes via real-time multisensory integration. However, no studies have yet investigated the clinical effects of integrating IVR with altered visual input during therapeutic exercise in FM. This will be a randomized controlled trial evaluating a 6-week IVR-based exercise program that modulates visual input to create the perception of reduced movement in FM patients. The experimental group will be compared to a control group following the same exercise program without IVR. Outcome measures include pain intensity, fatigue, sleep quality, kinesiophobia, functional capacity, symptom severity, and user experience. This study seeks to fill a critical gap in FM rehabilitation by testing whether IVR-enhanced exercise with visual modulation reduces the impact of fibromyalgia on patients' daily lives and improves physiological, psychological, and physical outcomes compared to traditional exercise approaches without IVR.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to any of the classification criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), including those from 1990, 2010, 2011, or 2016.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the research staff.
• A self-reported pain intensity score of ≥3 on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of comorbidities and/or symptoms that constitute a contraindication for immersive virtual reality and exercise-based interventions.
• Presence of medical conditions that may interfere with study outcomes, such as visual, auditory, perceptual, or sensory disorders.
• Use of medications that could potentially affect study results;
• Engagement in another therapeutic physical activity program during the intervention period, or any modifications to existing therapies (including medication or physical therapy) throughout the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups

Immersive Virtual Reality + Physical Activity

Experimental group

Description:

A set of ten therapeutic exercises using IVR will be implemented. These exercises are designed to enhance strength, stability, mobility, and flexibility in the abdomino-lumbo-pelvic region and lower limbs. During each exercise, participants will wear IVR goggles that modify visual proprioceptive feedback by altering the perceived range of movement. Specifically, the visual input provided by the IVR system will create a discrepancy between actual physical movement and perceived motion, allowing participants to visually experience movements differently from reality.

Treatment:

Other: Physical Activity

Other: Immersive Virtual Reality

Physical Activity

Active Comparator group

Description:

Control-group participants will perform the same 6-week therapeutic-exercise program as the experimental group; the only difference will be the absence of the IVR. Training methodology, load progression, assessment procedures, and physiotherapist supervision will remain identical, ensuring comparability between groups.

Treatment:

Other: Physical Activity