VR-PMR for Post-Burn Symptoms

Part of paid clinical trials in Baltimore, Maryland.

Sponsor
Johns Hopkins University
Study ID
NCT07317271
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Anxiety
  • Burn
  • Burn Injury
  • Chronic Pain Following Thermal Burn Injury
  • Depressive Symptoms
  • Fatigue Symptom
  • Non-Pharmacological Interventions
  • Progressive Muscle Relaxation
  • Pruritus
  • Sleep Disturbance
  • Virtual Reality

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Virtual Reality-Enhanced Progressive Muscle Relaxation — BEHAVIORAL
    The VR-PMR intervention is a self-administered 20-minute session, conducted for 3 consecutive days, one hour before bedtime. PMR, participants will tighten and relax specific muscle groups in sequence from the upper body to the lower body then vice versa. While taking deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, patients will be asked to first tense a muscle tightly and hold for slow count of 5 seconds and then relax quickly and completely for 10 seconds until all the tightness and pain flow out of the muscles. During PMR, participants will be immersed in a relaxing, nature-based VR environment. The VR component will use the Quest 3 Headset. Participants will be immersed in a virtual nature walk with accompanying relaxing music and nature sounds. Participants will be given a choice of three 360 nature walk videos set in forests or a beach. Audio instructions for PMR will play over the video's audio. Participants will use the participant's own smartphone.
  • Standard Progressive Muscle Relaxation — BEHAVIORAL
    Standard progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) therapy delivered via audio-recorded guides. For PMR, participants will tighten and relax specific muscle groups in sequence from the upper body to the lower body then vice versa. While taking deep breaths inhaling the nose and exhaling through the mouth, patients will be asked to first tense a muscle tightly and hold for slow count of 5 seconds and then relax quickly and completely for 10 seconds until all the tightness and pain flow out of the muscles.

Study Details

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), delivered either alone or enhanced with virtual reality (VR), can help treat chronic symptom, such as pain, itch, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and fatigue, in adult burn survivors. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does VR-enhanced PMR (VR-PMR) reduce chronic pain, anxiety, itch, sleep disturbances, and fatigue more effectively than standard PMR? * Is VR-PMR a feasible and acceptable self-administered home-based intervention for burn survivors? Researchers will compare two self-administered intervention conditions, VR-enhanced PMR and standard PMR, using a randomized to sequence crossover design to see if VR technology enhances the therapeutic effects of PMR on chronic symptom management in burn survivors. Participants will: * Complete home-based sessions of VR-enhanced PMR * Complete home-based sessions of standard PMR * Report symptoms such as pain, itch, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and fatigue throughout the study * Use VR equipment provided for the intervention period (during the VR-PMR arm)

Key Dates

Start date
Feb 27, 2026
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
34 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: VR-PMR
  • Active Comparator: PMR

Primary Outcome Measure

Pain Intensity as assessed by the the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). [ Time Frame: pre intervention and post VR-PMR intervention (3 weeks) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical CenterBaltimoreMaryland21224
Lynn Nakad, PhD
[email protected]
410-550-9056
[email protected]
Sheera Lerman Zohar, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

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By research site
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center· Baltimore, MD

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