Virtual Reality-based Induction to Improve Positive Body Image in Low Back Pain Patients.

University of Valencia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Low-back Pain; Low Back Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Negative Appreciation of Body Functionality Induction; Behavioral: Positive Appreciation of Body Functionality Induction

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06054074

CEIm: 30/2021

FPU20/05798 (Other Grant/Funding Number)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of a Virtual Reality-based induction to modify positive body image in individuals with low back pain.

Participants will receive both a positive and a negative induction of the appreciation of body functionality. This induction consists of an elaborated narrative to increase/decrease the appreciation of functionality. In addition, each induction includes a virtual costume representing their body's strengths or weaknesses to enrich the induction. After both induction procedures, participants will perform activities of daily living involving the use of the lumbar region in virtual reality. Subsequently, the different variables of interest will be assessed before and after each induction.

Researchers will analyze changes in the variables of interest after induction procedures compared to baseline.

Full description

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of a Virtual Reality-based induction to modify positive body image in individuals with low back pain.

Firstly, improvement in the study variables is expected after the positive induction. Secondly, the opposite results are expected after negative induction. Thirdly, a greater change is expected in the group of patients with low back pain.

The whole study is conducted in one single 1-hour session. First, participants will be screened to check eligibility inclusion/exclusion criteria. Second, eligible participants will complete baseline measures. Third, participants will be exposed to both induction procedures, counterbalancing the order. At the end of each induction, they will have to perform different virtual reality-based tasks of daily life that involve the use of the lumbar region, such as placing books on a bookshelf, throwing objects into a trash can or painting a wall. Fourth, state measures will be applied to assess the change in the study variables.

The study will be conducted following the principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki.

Enrollment: 53 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals with low back pain.

Exclusion criteria

Meeting any of the following medical conditions:

• Spinal tumor, infection or fracture
• Systemic disease (autoimmune, infectious, vascular, endocrine, metabolic...)
• Fibromyalgia
• Cauda equina syndrome
• History of spinal surgery
• Musculoskeletal injury of lower extremities

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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53 participants in 1 patient group

Low back pain

Experimental group

Description:

Participants with low back pain. They will perform the two induction procedures.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Positive Appreciation of Body Functionality Induction

Behavioral: Negative Appreciation of Body Functionality Induction