Virtual Reality–Based Pain Modulation in Subacute Musculoskeletal Injury: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study of Neural and Behavioral Correlates

This study provides initial evidence of the feasibility and acceptability of integrating fNIRS neuroimaging into clinical VR interventions. Results indicate that engagement with VR therapy was associated with alterations in neural activity in key PFC regions implicated in pain regulation, correlating with significant improvements in pain and behavioral measures. The neural and behavioral changes highlight the potential of VR as a mechanistically informed, scalable nonpharmacological approach to managing subacute pain following orthopedic injuries. These findings justify larger trials that incorporate multimodal neuroimaging to further understand potential mechanistic processes that may underlie VR-based pain therapies.