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Body awareness in Virtual Reality therapy for chronic pain

Kroezen, M.E. (2017) Body awareness in Virtual Reality therapy for chronic pain.

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Abstract:Body awareness is essential to enhance treatment effects for chronic pain patients. In Virtual Reality, there are possibilities to improve body awareness which makes it a promising tool for chronic pain rehabilitation. Our aim was to investigate how particular techniques used to improve body awareness can be implemented in immersive Virtual Reality for chronic pain patients. Occupational therapists participated in a focus group to investigate how body awareness is achieved in current treatment. After this, the occupational therapists performed individual think-aloud sessions to evaluate the first prototype of a Virtual Reality game developed for chronic back pain. This resulted in requirements which were validated in a new focus group with occupational therapists. ACT is the basis of occupational therapy rehabilitation for chronic pain patients. After testing the Virtual Reality prototype, therapists identified ways in which body awareness techniques can be implemented in Virtual Reality. The designed requirements for a new prototype corresponded to the view of the occupational therapists. Our results suggest that the techniques graded exposure, relaxation, cognitive defusion, mindfulness, breathing exercises and distraction can be implemented in Virtual Reality. According to the therapists, using Virtual Reality to enhance treatment effects for chronic pain patients is very promising.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Clients:
Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, Netherlands
Faculty:TNW: Science and Technology
Subject:01 general works
Programme:Health Sciences MSc (66851)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72959
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