The Effects of Virtual Reality Based Exercises in Patients With Adhesive Capsulitis

August 26, 2025 updated by: Oguzhan Bahadir DEMIR, Kocaeli University

The Effects of Virtual Reality Based Exercises on Pain, Range of Motion and Quality of Life in Patients With Adhesive Capsulitis

Musculoskeletal disorders such as adhesive capsulitis (AC) affect tissues such as muscles, bones, joints, tendons and ligaments and are the second most disabling condition worldwide. Musculoskeletal Systemic disorders are typically characterized by pain, limitations in joint range of motion or functional ability.

Existing studies have shown that Virtual Reality (VR) is beneficial in pain management for example; pain relief during dressing changes in burn patients. VR can also reduce anxiety, distract from the fear of pain, and reduce stress. It can distract the patients who are afraid of moving due to pain and enable them to move freely. In this study, AC patients will be treated with VR application. Patients pain levels, upper extremity range of motion, functional activity levels and quality of life levels will be evaluated. A total of 36 patients will be included in the study.

This observational randomized controlled study will contribute to the literature by investigating the effects of VR based exercises in individuals with AC.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Individuals in the first group to be included in the study group will be included in a VR-based exercise program for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks, in addition to routine electrotherapy programs for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks. These individuals will use the Oculus Quest 2 VR system in the virtual environment thanks to the three-dimensional glasses and handpiece that can be worn on the head. They will play the registered games. These games will include purpose-oriented activities such as lying on the head and using bilaterally, which are intended to use the upper extremities of individuals with AC in daily life. Participants will be treated under the constant supervision of a physiotherapist, will be rested at the end of the exercise, and will leave the clinic after making sure that there is no problem.

Individuals in the second group, who will be included in the traditional exercise group, will be included in the stretching and strengthening exercise program for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks, for a total of 10 hours, in addition to the routine electrotherapy programs for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks. The exercises will be performed by a physiotherapist working in the clinic and blind to the study.

Pain levels (Visual Analogue Scale), upper extremity range of motion (Goniometric measurement), functional activity levels (Shoulder Pain and Disability Index) and quality of life (SF-36) of all participants will be evaluated before and after the study.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

36

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

      • Kocaeli, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine Hospital
      • Sakarya, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Sakarya University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Research Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Diagnosed as having Adhesive Capsulitis and being treated in the rehabilitation center

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being between the ages of 18-65
  • Clinical diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Inability to cooperate VR
  • Surgery on the upper extremity or trunk
  • Neurological disease

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
study
Individuals in the first group to be included in the study group will be included in a virtual reality-based exercise program for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks, in addition to routine electrotherapy programs for half an hour a day, 5 days a week for a total of 4 weeks. These individuals will be able to play the games saved in the Oculus Quest 2 SG system in the virtual environment, thanks to the three-dimensional glasses and handpiece that can be worn on the head.
Play VR games
control
Individuals who receive traditional electrotherapy and exercise program

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain severity change
Time Frame: Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
pain intensity after VR based exercises will be assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). VAS is often used to measure the amount of pain that a patient feels ranges across a continuum from none to an extreme amount of pain (0-10). Ten shows more pain intensity.
Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
Quality of Life level change
Time Frame: Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
Level of Quality of Life will be assessed by Short Form- 36 (SF-36). SF-36 is a set of generic, coherent, and easily administered quality-of-life measures. These measures rely upon patient self-reporting and have been widely used. High points show high quality ol life levels.
Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
Shoulder functionality level change
Time Frame: Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
Shoulder functionality will be assessed by Shoulder and Pain Disability Inventory (SPADI). The Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) is a self-administered questionnaire that consists of two dimensions, one for pain and the other for functional activities. The pain dimension consists of five questions regarding the severity of an individual's pain. Functional activities are assessed with eight questions designed to measure the degree of difficulty an individual has with various activities of daily living that require upper-extremity use. The SPADI takes 5 to 10 minutes for a patient to complete and is the only reliable and valid region-specific measure for the shoulder. The means of the two subscales are averaged to produce a total score ranging from 0 (best) to 100 (worst).
Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Shoulder mobility angles change
Time Frame: Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises
Shouder mobility will be assessed by goniometric measurement
Initial assessment before playing VR exercises, secondary assessment after 4 weeks VR based exercises

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

November 1, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

December 25, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 17, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

July 27, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

September 3, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2025

Last Verified

August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 32/22

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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