NCT07390227

Virtual Reality Intervention in Patients With Persistent Shoulder Pain

Not yet recruiting NA Last updated 9 February 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Exercise with Virtual reality in Rotator Cuff Syndrome in 30 participants. Not yet recruiting.

Timeline

12 January 2026

Primary endpoint
1 October 2026

1 December 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	HAN University of Applied Sciences
Phase	NA
Status	Not yet recruiting
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	na
Design	single group
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	30
Start date	12 January 2026
Primary completion	1 October 2026
Estimated completion	1 December 2026
Sites	1 location across Netherlands

Drugs / interventions tested

• Exercise with Virtual reality
• education on shoulder pain
• simulation de-briefing

Conditions studied

• Rotator Cuff Syndrome — all drugs for Rotator Cuff Syndrome →
• Shoulder Instability — all drugs for Shoulder Instability →
• Frozen Shoulder — all drugs for Frozen Shoulder →

Sponsor

HAN University of Applied Sciences

Who can join

16 and older, any sex, with Rotator Cuff Syndrome or Shoulder Instability. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Shoulder pain is very common and can make daily activities difficult. Many people have shoulder pain for a long time, even after treatment. Common shoulder problems include pain from the shoulder muscles and tendons, a frozen shoulder, or an unstable shoulder. Unfortunately, both surgery and physiotherapy often help only a little. This can be due to many reasons, such as people not continuing their exercises, fear of moving the shoulder, incorrect beliefs about pain, other health problems, or lifestyle factors.

Virtual Reality (VR) is a new and promising technology that is already being used to help people with long-lasting pain. By using a VR headset, people can exercise in a motivating and engaging virtual environment. VR may help reduce fear of movement, improve how people feel about their body, make movement easier, and help people stick to their exercises. However, there is still very little research on using VR for long-lasting shoulder pain.

The goal of this study is to find out whether a home-based VR exercise program for people with ongoing shoulder complaints is practical and acceptable. The investigators want to know if people are willing and able to use VR at home, whether they continue the treatment, and whether it shows early signs of reducing pain and limitations. They also want to understand who benefits most from VR, in which situations it works best, and why it may or may not help.

People aged 16 years and older who have had shoulder pain and limitations for more than three months can take part. This includes people with shoulder tendon-related pain, frozen shoulder, or shoulder instability.

The study lasts six weeks and includes three parts. First, participants receive online educational videos about shoulder pain and movement. Second, they take part in three physiotherapy sessions: one in person and two online. Third, participants use a VR headset at home every day for about 15 minutes to perform guided shoulder and whole-body exercises, such as reaching or aiming tasks. The exercises gradually become more challenging. Participants receive clear written and video instructions, and technical support is available if needed.

During the study, participants will complete questionnaires and the VR system will record basic usage data. At the end of the study, group interviews will be held with participants and physiotherapists to talk about their experiences with VR and how it influenced pain, movement, and daily activities.

Using VR is considered safe. Some people may experience mild and short-lasting side effects, such as dizziness, but serious problems are not expected. The main effort for participants is the time spent on exercises and completing questionnaires.

The results of this study will help determine whether VR is a useful and realistic treatment option for people with long-lasting shoulder pain and will guide future, larger studies.

Publications & conference data

No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial.