The Effect of Virtual Reality Training Compared to Traditional Exercise in Patients With Frozen Shoulder

PATIENT GROUP (frozen shoulder

Inclusion criteria

• A diagnosis of frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis (by a medical doctor) both idiopathic and postoperative/posttraumatic
• The participants need to have:

• a passive ROM restriction (measured using goniometry) at the affected shoulder of 25% or more in at least two directions in comparison to the unaffected shoulder
• an external rotation restriction at the affected shoulder of at least 50% when compared to the unaffected side
• pain and restricted ROM present for at least two months, reaching a plateau or becoming worse
• gradual onset of pain and stiffness
• The participants are allowed to already be in therapy with a physiotherapist and do not have to stop an ongoing therapy in order to participate in the study. The reason for this is that only the short-term effect is being researched
• The participants are allowed to have had an operative treatment if they still have the aforementioned restrictions

Exclusion criteria

• The presence of contra-indications to perform active shoulder movements
• The presence of neurological conditions
• Systemic disease (e.g. Fibromyalgia, rheumatism, muscle disease…)
• The presence of visual conditions that will not allow performing VR therapy without losing balance
• A pathology of the back of lower limbs which do not allow the performance of exercise in standing position
• A higher risk of falling with at least one fall during the past year
• Insufficient control of the Dutch language

HEALTHY GROUP Exclusion criteria

• shoulder pain in the last 6 months
• prior shoulder surgery
• fractures of the upper arm or scapula
• systemic disease (e.g. Fibromyalgia, rheumatism, muscle disease…)
• the presence of contra-indications to perform active shoulder movements (e.g. recent elbow surgery), balance disorders (e.g. benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), visual disorders (e.g. severe reduced vision or visual acuity)
• any pathology in the back/lower limbs that prevents standing exercises from being performed
• increased risk of falls with at least one fall incident in the past year
• insufficient knowledge of the Dutch language.