Virtual Reality and Standard Care vs. Standard Care Alone for Acute MSK Pain in Geriatric ED Patients

The investigators will conduct a prospective, randomized, non-blinded clinical trial, over a 2-year period, to investigate the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) on pain reduction as a primary outcome (quantitative outcome) and its effect on anxiety and stress (qualitative outcomes) as secondary outcomes in geriatric patients presenting to the ED of Maimonides Medical Center. This clinical trial will focus on patients with complaints of acute traumatic and non-traumatic musculoskeletal pain. These patients will be screened for eligibility and approached by study investigators. Upon meeting the eligibility criteria and completing an informed consent form, patients will be randomized into one of two study groups: 1) Standard of Care or 2) Standard of Care (SOC) plus Virtual Reality. Subjects will include geriatric patients, ages 65 and older, presenting to the ED with acute traumatic and non-traumatic musculoskeletal (MSK) painful syndromes with an initial numeric pain score of 4 and above on a standard 11 point (0 to 10) numeric rating scale (NRS) and requiring analgesia as determined by the treating ED physician. The total sample size for this trial will be 180 subjects (90 per group).

Eligible subjects in the trial will be randomized to either the control group or the intervention group. The control group will receive the standard of care (SOC) analgesia as determined by their treating physician and departmental guidelines. The intervention group will receive VR therapy via a headset as an adjunct to the SOC therapies prescribed. Study investigators will record pain scores, vital signs, and adverse effects at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes. In addition, anxiety and stress will be assessed before and after utilization of VR in the intervention group at 0, 30, 60 and 120 minutes. Subjects enrolled in the control group will have an evaluation of anxiety and stress recorded at 0, 30, 60, and 120 minutes as a part of secondary outcome measures as well.

Inclusion criteria

• age of 65+
• Emergency Medicine patients
• non traumatic musculoskeletal painful condition
• pain score of 4+ on the numeric rating scale
• patient will warrant parenteral analgesia per treating physician
• patient will have to be awake, alert, and oriented to person, place, and time.
• comprehension of informed consent process and study related content
• ability to complete assessments

Exclusion criteria

• painful syndrome requiring emergent and/or urgent pain control
• altered mental status
• unstable vital signs
• history of recent epilepsy
• seizure disorder
• vertigo
• active headache
• nausea
• motion sickness
• dizziness