Virtual Reality Rehabilitation for Shoulder Injuries in Female College Basketball Players (VRSR)

Experimental Study on the Improvement of Shoulder Range of Motion in College Women Basketball Players by Virtual Reality Technology

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality technology in the rehabilitation of shoulder injuries in college women's basketball players. We hypothesise that rehabilitation training using a virtual reality system can improve the range of motion of the shoulder joint more effectively than traditional physical therapy methods and help athletes return to optimal condition. The study will compare the effects of virtual reality training, traditional rehabilitation training, and no intervention group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Virtual Reality Therapy
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Group; Other: Traditional Rehabilitation Group

Detailed Description

To explore the intervention effects of virtual reality (VR) technology in shoulder injuryrehabilitation and its feasibility and practical value in college students 'sports recovery, thisstudy focuses on the theme of "The Therapeutic Effects of Virtual Reality Technology onShoulder lnjuries in Chinese University Basketball Players." A nine-week sports rehabilitationexperimental study was conducted. in line with the policy spirit of integrated development ofphysical education and health in Fujian Province's universities and the research direction ofour university's sports discipline, the project team collaborated with experts both inside andoutside the campus to conduct rehabilitation training experiments for a group of eligible female basketball players from Chinese universities.The study involved 45 female basketball players from universities in Fujian Province, allof whom experienced varying degrees of shoulder joint mobility limitations. Based on theiathletic abilities and injury severity, the participants were randomly divided into three groupsthe VR rehabilitation group, the traditional rehabilitation group, and the control group, with 15participants in each group. The VR rehabilitation group underwent immersive virtual realitytraining, which included exercises to increase joint range of motion and simulate specificbasketball movements. The traditional rehabilitation group received conventional physicatherapy and manual training. The control group did not receive any form of intervention.Statistical methods were used to compare and analyze the effectiveness of differentintervention methods in improving shoulder joint mobility. The experiment also combined on-site rehabilitation records and performance feedback to comprehensively evaluate theapplication prospects of virtual reality rehabilitation in sports medicine.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 45
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Fujian
    • Sanming, Fujian, China, 415000
      • Sanming Medicaand Polytechnic Vocational College

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Eligible participants are female college basketball players between the ages of 18 and 24 who have limited shoulder range of motion (ROM limitation) as confirmed by standardized clinical assessment. Participants must regularly engage in basketball training and have no history of shoulder surgery. Individuals will be excluded if they have neurological disorders or other medical conditions that may interfere with virtual rehabilitation, a history of vertigo or intolerance to virtual reality environments, or severe shoulder instability or injuries that prevent participation in rehabilitation training.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Group; Participants in this group will receive immersive virtual reality rehabilitation training, which includes exercises designed to improve shoulder joint range of motion and simulate basketball-specific movements.	Device: Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Group; Conducted in three progressive stages using VR games: improving ROM, strengthening shoulder muscles, and simulating game scenarios.; Other Names: PICO3
Active Comparator: Traditional Rehabilitation Group; Participants in this group will undergo conventional rehabilitation therapy, including manual therapy and exercises aimed at improving shoulder joint mobility.	Other: Traditional Rehabilitation Group; Used conventional physical therapy methods based on established rehabilitation programs.
No Intervention: Control Group; Participants in this group will not receive any rehabilitation intervention and will only be monitored for natural recovery.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from Baseline in Shoulder Joint Range of Motion After 9-Week Rehabilitation	The primary outcome of this study is the change in shoulder joint range of motion (ROM) across five directions: flexion, abduction, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation. Shoulder ROM will be measured using a digital goniometer with ±1° accuracy, following standardised protocols from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The normal ROM values for shoulder movement are as follows: Flexion (0°-180°), Abduction (0°-180°), Extension (0°-60°), Internal Rotation (0°-70°), and External Rotation (0°-90°). A positive change indicates an improvement in shoulder joint mobility from baseline to post-intervention.	From baseline assessment to the end of 9-week rehabilitation period

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Jiarong Wang
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: JIARONG WANG, PHD, JIARONGW

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Morikawa LH, Tummala SV, Brinkman JC, Crijns TJ, Lai CH, Chhabra A. Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in National Basketball Association Athletes and Their Effects on Player Performance. Orthop J Sports Med. 2023 Oct 6;11(10):23259671231202973. doi: 10.1177/23259671231202973. eCollection 2023 Oct.

Helpful Links

• Covers standardsStudy Protocol 1. Background and Objective Shoulder injuries are common among athletes, particularly female collegiate basketball players, for various types of disability assessment, especially in the fields of medicine and rehabilitation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 15, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 13, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): May 16, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 23, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): August 7, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 7, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: shoulder; VR; female basketball player
• Other Study ID Numbers: SMAPVC16042024; No External Funding (Other Identifier: Sanming Medical and Polytechnic Vocational College)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Due to privacy concerns and the nature of the data, individual participant data will not be shared with other researchers. All data will be kept confidential and used only for the purpose of this study. However, if necessary, data can be made available upon request for academic or research purposes, but will not be shared for commercial use.

Study Data/Documents

1. Individual Participant Data Set
   Information identifier: VR_Shoulder_Rehab_2024
   Information comments: This dataset includes the shoulder range of motion (ROM) and visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores for 45 collegiate female basketball players. The data were collected over a 9-week period as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of virtual reality-assisted rehabilitation for shoulder injuries. The dataset is anonymized and can be shared upon request for non-commercial academic research purposes only
2. Study Protocol
   Information identifier: VR_Shoulder_Rehab_2024
   Information comments: This study aims to evaluate the effect of virtual reality (VR)-assisted rehabilitation training on shoulder range of motion (ROM) and pain relief in college women's basketball players. Forty-five college women's basketball players with shoulder injuries were randomly divided into three groups: VR-assisted rehabilitation group, traditional rehabilitation group, and control group. The VR group underwent 9 weeks of immersive training, the traditional group received conventional physical therapy, and the control group did not receive any intervention. The primary evaluation index was shoulder ROM (flexion, abduction, internal rotation, and external rotation), and the secondary evaluation index was pain intensity (VAS). All assessments will be performed at baseline and after the intervention, and the data will be analyzed using SPSS statistical software. The study hypothesized that VR rehabilitation methods can improve shoulder range of motion, reduce pain, and increase athlete participatio
3. Statistical Analysis Plan
   Information identifier: VR_Shoulder_Rehab_2024
   Information comments: This study used a randomized controlled method and all randomly assigned participants were included. Data analysis was performed using SPSS or R software. Baseline characteristics will be described using descriptive statistics, with continuous variables expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and categorical variables expressed as frequency/percentage. The primary outcome was shoulder range of motion (ROM), and the difference before and after the intervention was compared using paired t-test (if the data did not conform to normal distribution). The differences between the groups were analyzed using MANOVA, and if the data did not conform to normal distribution, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used. The secondary outcome was pain intensity (VAS), and independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare continuous data. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05, and 95% confidence intervals and effect sizes
4. Informed Consent Form
   Information identifier: VR_Shoulder_Rehab_2024
   Information comments: To explore the effect of virtual reality technology on improving the range of motion of the shoulder joints of Chinese college women's basketball players and provide a basis for future sports rehabilitation training. The study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Sanming Medical Science and Technology Vocational College. Participants will receive 9 weeks of shoulder rehabilitation training, including traditional rehabilitation or virtual reality intervention. During the study, we will collect data on the participants' shoulder range of motion (ROM) and pain scores (VAS), which will only be used for statistical analysis of this study. All personal information and data will be strictly confidential, limited to research purposes, and will not be used for other purposes. Participation in this study is completely voluntary, and participants can withdraw without reason at any stage, and withdrawal will not be affected or punished in any way.
5. Data Monitoring Committee Charter
   Information identifier: SMMAPVC16042024
   Information comments: This dataset includes data from a 9-week study on VR-assisted rehabilitation for shoulder mobility in female basketball players. The study was approved by the Ethics Review Committee of Sanming Medical and Polytechnic Vocational College (SMMAPVC), with written informed consent obtained from all participants. Data is available for academic research purposes only.
6. Clinical Study Report
   Information identifier: VR_Shoulder_Rehab_2024
   Information comments: The VR group showed an increase in ROM in flexion from 157.24° to 171.64°, abduction from 157.93° to 173.21°, internal rotation from 57.94° to 67.43°, and external rotation from 71.17° to 84.16° (p < 0.001). The pain score in the VR group also decreased significantly, with the VAS score for flexion decreasing from 6.2 to 3.5, abduction from 6.0 to 3.3, and internal rotation from 5.8 to 3.9 (p < 0.001). In contrast, the traditional rehabilitation group showed some improvement, but the effect was smaller than that of the VR group, and no significant change was observed in the control group. Statistical analysis showed that VR-assisted rehabilitation was superior to traditional methods in improving the range of motion of the shoulder joint and reducing pain, and showed higher rehabilitation participation and motivation. Therefore, VR technology has great application potential in sports rehabilitation for shoulder injuries.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No