Virtual Reality Applications in Neck Pain Treatment

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 56 - 65, 30.08.2023

Burcu Ece Korkmaz , Yeşim Salık Şengül

https://doi.org/10.51536/tusbad.1150411

Abstract

Neck pain is the second most common musculoskeletal pathology after low back pain. Chronic neck pain is an unpleasant, sensory and emotional experience that significantly affects the behavior, quality of life, family and professional life of the individual, and it is known that two out of every three adults experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Virtual reality (VR) is defined as a computing system used to create an artificial world where users have the impression of navigating and manipulating objects in virtual spaces. VR technologies are classified by the concept of immersion, which is defined as the perception of being physically present in a virtual environment, and different subtypes of this concept. According to their immersion degrees, virtual reality technologies are examined in three categories as immersive, semi-immersive and non-immersive. The main mechanism of action of virtual reality technologies on pain is explained by the concept of distraction. The positive effects of VR technologies, which have been used frequently in the rehabilitation of chronic neck pain in recent years, on pain, disability, postural control and balance, and kinematic changes have been reported in studies. The purpose of this review is to provide information about the areas and purposes of use of virtual reality technologies in the treatment of chronic neck pain, the determination of the optimal dose and duration for treatment programming, and the possible side effects of the application, and to guide further studies.

Keywords

Motion Sickness, Neck Pain, Rehabilitation, Virtual Reality

Boyun Ağrısı Tedavisinde Sanal Gerçeklik Uygulamaları

Abstract

Boyun ağrısı, bel ağrısından sonra ikinci sırada en çok görülen muskuloskeletal patolojidir. Kronik boyun ağrısı, bireyin davranışlarını, yaşam kalitesini, aile ve meslek yaşantısını önemli ölçüde etkileyen, hoş olmayan, duyusal ve duygusal bir deneyimdir ve her üç yetişkinden ikisinin hayatının bir döneminde boyun ağrısı yaşadığı bilinmektedir. Sanal gerçeklik (Virtual Reality-VR), kullanıcıların sanal mekanlarda gezinme ve bu mekanlardaki nesneleri manipüle etme izlenimine sahip olduğu yapay bir dünya yaratmak için kullanılan bir bilgi işlem sistemi olarak tanımlanır. VR teknolojileri, sanal bir ortamda fiziksel olarak bulunma algısı olarak tanımlanan imersiyon kavramı ve bu kavramın farklı alt tipleriyle sınıflandırılmaktadır. İmersiyon derecelerine göre sanal gerçeklik teknolojileri immersive, semi-immersive, non-immersive olarak üç kategoride incelenmektedir. Sanal gerçeklik teknolojilerinin ağrı üzerine temel etki mekanizması distraksiyon kavramıyla açıklanmaktadır. Kronik boyun ağrısı rehabilitasyonunda son yıllarda sıklıkla kullanılmaya başlanan VR teknolojilerinin, ağrı, disabilite, postural kontrol ve denge, kinematik değişimler üzerine olumlu etkileri yapılan çalışmalarda bildirilmiştir. Bu derlemenin amacı, sanal gerçeklik teknolojilerinin kronik boyun ağrısı tedavisinde kullanım alanları ve amaçları, tedavi programlama için optimal doz ve sürenin belirlenmesi ve uygulamanın olası yan etkileri hakkında bilgi vererek ilerleyen çalışmalar için yol gösterici olmasıdır.

Keywords

Boyun Ağrısı, Hareket Tutması, Rehabilitasyon, Sanal Gerçeklik

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