Virtual Reality: A New Tool for Oxford Back Pain Recovery
THE SCIENCE BEHIND VR AND PAIN RELIEF
New groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports has shown that virtual reality can literally change how your brain interprets pain signals. When patients with chronic low back pain used VR systems with visual feedback, they experienced altered pain perception during movement. (1) This is not just distraction – it's your brain adapting its response to movement patterns that normally cause discomfort.
VR helps by changing the visual information you receive, creating a difference between what you see and feel that allows your nervous system to develop pain-free ways of moving. This breakthrough finding suggests that VR can help break the cycle of pain-avoidance that often keeps people with Oxford back pain from getting the exercise they need.
TARGETING YOUR DEEP SPINAL MUSCLES
A major challenge in back pain recovery is strengthening the lumbar erector spinae – the deep muscles that run along your spine and help stabilize it. These muscles often become weak and poorly coordinated in people with chronic back pain, creating a vicious cycle of instability and further pain.
New research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology points out that these muscles display different fatigue patterns and spatial distribution alterations in older adults compared to younger individuals, highlighting the importance of age-appropriate, targeted training. (2) VR systems can provide immediate feedback about muscle activation, teaching you how to effectively engage these deep stabilizing muscles that are typically challenging to feel and manage.
THE FUTURE OF REHABILITATION
Virtual reality creates an opportunity to merge pain science with engaging, interactive exercise. By offering immediate visual feedback about your movement patterns and muscle activation, VR can help you redevelop your body's natural movement patterns while making the process more enjoyable and effective.
Check with your Oxford chiropractor at Satterwhite Chiropractic about incorporating VR-based exercises into your treatment plan – it might just be the key to unlocking your path to lasting back pain relief.
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