Virtual Reality: A New Tool for St Peters Back Pain Recovery
THE SCIENCE BEHIND VR AND PAIN RELIEF
Recent groundbreaking research published in Scientific Reports has shown that virtual reality can plainly change what your brain does with pain signals. The study found that patients with chronic low back pain experienced modified pain perception during movement when using VR systems with visual feedback. (1) This isn't just distraction – your brain is changing how it responds to movements that usually trigger discomfort.
The key is how VR changes visual feedback to create a mismatch between what you see and what you feel, allowing your nervous system to develop new, pain-free movement patterns. This breakthrough finding suggests that VR can help break the cycle of pain-avoidance that often keeps St Peters back pain sufferers from getting the exercise that can help them.
TARGETING YOUR DEEP SPINAL MUSCLES
Strengthening the lumbar erector spinae presents a major challenge in back pain recovery – the deep muscles that run along your spine and help stabilize it. In people with chronic back pain, these muscles commonly become weak and less coordinated which creates a pattern of instability and worsening pain.
Recent research published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology points out that these muscles display different fatigue patterns and spatial distribution patterns in older adults compared to younger persons, highlighting the importance of age-appropriate, targeted training. (2) VR systems can provide real-time feedback about muscle activation, helping you learn to properly engage these deep stabilizing muscles that are often difficult to feel and control.
THE FUTURE OF REHABILITATION
Virtual reality offers a unique opportunity to combine pain science with engaging, interactive exercise. By providing real-time visual feedback about your movement patterns and muscle activation, VR can help you improve your body's natural movement patterns while making the process more engaging and effective.
Ask your St Peters chiropractor at Old Mill Chiropractic about incorporating VR-based exercises into your treatment plan – it may provide a path to lasting back pain relief.
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