Virtual Reality for Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews

Although the current evidence indicates that VR may hold promise in patients with chronic primary MSKP, the included studies suffered from critical weaknesses that precluded this review from drawing a conclusive conclusion. It remains uncertain which VR interventions, including dosage, mode of delivery, supervision, frequency, duration, level of immersion, VR platform, displayed content, and mechanism of action, are more effective than the others. Future SRs should sub-group VR based on the treatment types. Further rigorously designed studies focusing on immersive VR, standalone or adjunctive to other interventions, with long-term follow-up, are warranted. It is worth repeating the call for an agreed consensus on a clear definition and classification of VR within the healthcare context.