The (cost-)effectiveness of an innovative, personalised intervention of therapeutic VirtuAl Reality IntEgrated within physioTherapY for a group of complex chronic low back pain patients (VARIETY-study)

Physiotherapy, mainly consisting of exercise therapy and patient education, is a first-choice primary care treatment for patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Unfortunately, especially patients with severe disability and pain demonstrate poor outcomes.

Objective

Our primary objective is to investigate whether a personalised, physiotherapy intervention with integrated therapeutic virtual reality (VR) is (cost-)effective compared to usual physiotherapy.

Study design

The design we use is a cluster randomized controlled trial. Our primary objective is to investigate whether a personalised, physiotherapy intervention with integrated therapeutic virtual reality (VR) is (cost-)effective at 3 months and 12 months follow-up, compared to usual physiotherapy, in a subgroup of 120 patients with complex chronic low back pain (LBP) and severe disability and pain. This VR-integrated intervention, personalised to specific patient characteristics and preferences, will first be refined through a co-creation process, and then pre-tested in a pilot and feasibility study, and further optimised. Second, we will test the (cost-)effectiveness of our intervention compared to usual care in a cluster randomised controlled trial, and explore underlying (pain, adherence and behaviour-related) working mechanisms. Third, if proven (cost-)effective in this trial, we will implement our intervention among physiotherapists and patients, taking into account barriers and facilitators for implementation, which we will identify during the pilot and feasibility study and the trial. 

Products

Title: Physiotherapy with integrated virtual reality for patients with complex chronic low back pain: protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial (VARIETY study)
Author: Syl Slatman, Raymond Ostelo, Harry van Goor J Bart Staal, Jesper Knoop
Magazine: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Start- and endpage: 1-9
Link: https://bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12891-023-06232-0

Features

Project number:
10270032021502
Duration: 85%
Duration: 85 %
2021
2025
Part of programme:
Related funding round:
Project lead and secretary:
dr. J. Knoop
Responsible organisation:
HAN University of Applied Sciences
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