The role of embodiment in virtual Reality’s effects on hand osteoarthritis pain: a pilot study

The sense of embodiment (SoE), when an individual takes bodily ownership over an artificial body part as their own, has been shown to produce analgesic effects. SoE can be facilitated through virtual reality (VR) and spherical video-based virtual reality (SVVR), where users may experience embodiment of virtual limbs. In this study we used pre-recorded embodiment-inducing SVVR as a nonpharmacological analgesic intervention for individuals with hand osteoarthritis (HOA) who experienced chronic pain. The study used a pre/post within-subjects design (N = 10) to evaluate the immediate effects of SVVR and a 3-week single-subject design (N = 2) to evaluate potential prolonged effects. Results revealed that SVVR significantly reduced pain in the pre/post study during SVVR ( p = 0.02; r = 0.82) and immediately after ( p = 0.01; r = 0.90). The single-subjects study demonstrated significant analgesic effects during the week of the intervention for one participant ( p < 0.001), but not for the other participant ( p = 0.89). Embodiment-inducing SVVR shows potential as an nonpharmacological and cost-effective way to manage pain and support functioning in people with HOA.