The psychological and physiological effects of a virtual reality-based treatment program in female patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: …, Sari, 2025

The psychological and physiological effects of a virtual reality-based treatment program in female patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: A randomized controlled trial. Sari et al, 2025

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the effects of virtual reality (VR) programs on disease activity, central sensitization, kinesiophobia, body awareness, and pain catastrophizing in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

Twenty-nine with FMS were randomized into the VR group or the control group (CG). FMS patients in the VR group were included in the VR-based relaxing treatment for 4 weeks, with one session per week. The progressive muscle relaxation technique and the breath-counting exercise were taught to participants in the CG.

The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Central Sensitization Inventory Short-Form (CSI-SF), TAMPA, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) were evaluated. Additionally, in the VR group, the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), pain, stress, and exhaustion were assessed during each session.

Post-treatment, the VR group showed significantly greater improvements than the CG in FIQ, CSI-SF, PCS, and BAQ (p < 0.05). Effect sizes in the VR group, except for TAMPA, ranged from large to very large (Cohen's d = 0.993-1.350). Although GSR scores decreased post-treatment, this reduction was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Additionally, symptoms of SSQ, pain, stress, and exhaustion were notably reduced in the VR group. we recommend the widespread use of this innovative treatment approach in FMS patients.

I could only find an abstract that was available:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39888731/

 

Open-label, subjective outcomes, and recommending widespread use. They got it all!

 

@Utsikt,

yes, it is a tour de force!

 

As usual, the only meaningful objective outcome showed no difference.

 

But the real objective outcome is the one that matters to them. In this case, being from Turkiye: ₺.

They gots money for it and want more. More. MOAR!

OK, the real academic currency is citations, but you can only get those with mo-ney! Money taken from useful purposes and sent to the trash with a few detours.