Virtual reality or isokinetic training; its effect on pain, kinesiophobia and serum stress hormones in chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Nambi, Gopal^{a; *} | Abdelbasset, Walid Kamal^{a; b} | Alrawaili, Saud M.^a | Alsubaie, Saud F.^a | Abodonya, Ahmed M.^{c; d} | Saleh, Ayman K.^{d; e}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia | [b] Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt | [c] Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt | [d] Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia | [e] Department of Orthopedic, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Gopal Nambi, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, P.O Box-173, Al-Kharj-11942, Saudi Arabia. Tel.: + 966 501878382; E-mail: physio_gopal@rediffmail.com.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Evidence on the latest technologies in rehabilitation for reducing pain and altering serum stress hormones in low back pain (LBP) was lacking. OBJECTIVE: To find the clinical and hormonal effects of virtual reality training (VRT) and isokinetic training (IKT) in chronic LBP patients. METHODS: Through the simple random sampling method, 60 university football players with chronic LBP were allocated into three groups: NVRT= 20, NIKT= 20 and NCONTROL= 20. The three groups underwent different exercises for 4 weeks. Clinical (pain intensity and kinesiophobia) and hormonal (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, growth hormone, prolactin, ACTH and cortisol) values were measured at baseline, after 4 weeks and 6 months. RESULTS: Four weeks following training, the VRT and IKT groups showed significant changes in pain intensity and kinesiophobia in comparison to the control group (p< 0.05). Hormonal measures also showed significant improvement in the VRT group in comparison to the other two groups (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Training through virtual reality and isokinetic exercise is an effective approach in terms of pain and kinesiophobia. In terms of hormonal analysis, virtual reality shows slightly more improvements than isokinetic training in subjects with chronic LBP.

Keywords: Virtual reality training, isokinetic training, pain intensity, kinesiophobia, hormones, low back pain

DOI: 10.3233/THC-202301

Journal: Technology and Health Care, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 155-166, 2021