Neck PainNCT06474130
Assessing Cervical Sensorimotor Control With VR in Chronic Neck Pain
An observational study of Neck Pain and Virtual Reality, run by National Cheng Kung University at 1 site in Taiwan.
Trial summary
To develop a cervical SMC VR assessment system incorporating different SMC tests and to compare cervical SMC performance using this self-developed VR assessment system in individuals with and without CNP Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Neck Pain, Virtual Reality, Sensorimotor
- How many people
- 70 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTaiwan
- Study dates
- 17 Feb 2025to 31 Mar 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Study population: Patients with CNP will be recruited from the affiliated hospital, local outpatient clinics, local communities and around the campus. Healthy adults will be recruited from the local communities near the university in the Tainan city.
Who may be able to join
- For patients with chronic neck pain:
- Pain was unilateral or bilateral between the superior nuchal line and 1st thoracic vertebra,
- Neck pain persisting for 3 months and above,
- Average pain intensity of last pain episode was between 2 and 8 based on the numerical rating scale (NRS)
- Healthy asymptomatic adults:
- Do not have any complaints of current pain and impairments of neuromusculoskeletal systems within the last 6 months
Who cannot join
- acute or the first onset of neck pain
- previous fracture or surgery of the spine
- diagnosed cardiopulmonary diseases, for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema
- diagnosed gastrointestinal and abdominal conditions which may interfere daily activities within the past 6 months
- medical conditions that may affect balance and study procedures (e.g. neurological diseases, vestibular disorders, malignant tumors)
- metabolic diseases such as anemia and diabetes
Show all 10Show fewer
- smoking, plan to pregnant or in pregnancy
- psychological disorders (affect questionnaire responses)
- unable to walk independently
- Corrected visual abnormalities or individuals unable to wear contact lenses for vision correction due to the potential interference of wearing VR head-mounted display with glasses
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Cervical Sensorimotor Control Assessment Using a Virtual Reality System in Individuals With and Without Chronic Neck Pain
To develop a cervical SMC VR assessment system incorporating different SMC tests and to compare cervical SMC performance using this self-developed VR assessment system in individuals with and without CNP
- Conditions
- Neck Pain, Virtual Reality, Sensorimotor
- Keywords
- Sensorimotor control, Virtual Reality, Chronic neck Pain, cervical
- Medical subject headings
- Neck Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic neck pain group | Pain was unilateral or bilateral between the superior nuchal line and 1st thoracic vertebra; Neck pain persisting for 3 months and above; Average pain intensity of last pain episode was between 2 and 8 based on the numerical rating scale (NRS). | |
| Healthy adults group | Do not have any complaints of current pain and impairments of neuromusculoskeletal systems within the last 6 months. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cervical Range of Motion (ROM)
Participants will follow the instructions that appeared in the VR HMD to perform active maximal neck flexion, extension, side bending and rotation. The maximal ROM in each direction will be calculated and obtained based on the IMU sensors embedded in the HMD.
Measured: One day
Joint Position Error (JPE)
There will be a virtual target displayed in the VR HMD. Participant will be instructed to remember this position, then close their eyes and move the head away from the target center, and then return to the initial starting position.
Difference between the starting position and final position in distance (mm) will be calculated.
Measured: One day
Figure of Eight (FOE)
The participant will be instructed to control the red dot moving along the path of the figure-of-eight as accurately as possible by moving their head.
Measured: One day
Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV)
A tilted white rod will be presented at different angles for 1-degree interval from 45 to 135 degrees randomly on the display as described above. The rod will be precisely controlled by using left and right arrow keys of a keyboard. Participants will be instructed to reposition the white rod so that the white rod will be positioned vertically while keeping the head and neck as still as possible.
Measured: One day
Head Tile Response (HTR)
A tilted white rod will be presented at different angles for 1-degree interval from 45 to 135 degrees randomly on the display as described above. Participants will be instructed to tilt their heads laterally so that the line will be re-positioned vertically.
Measured: One day
Saccades
Two virtual white targets at 90 degrees of visual angle positioned 0.82 m apart from the participant will be displayed in the VR HMD. Participants will be asked to shift their gaze quickly between two targets without moving their heads for 10 secs.
Measured: One day
Smooth Pursuit Neck Torsion (SPNT)
A virtual red-dot target is displayed in the VR HMD. The target will move in a horizontal plane with a sinusoidal pattern (30 degrees per second) from left to right and back 10 times with a visual angle of 40 degrees. Participants will be requested to follow the moving target with their eyes and keep their heads still.
Measured: One day
Postural Sway (PS)
Participants will be asked to follow the instructions that appeared in the VR HMD and stand still for 30 seconds in EO or EC condition and in neck neutral or neck torsion 45-degree position
Measured: One day
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Jun 2024
- Study start17 Feb 2025
- Primary completion31 Dec 2025
- Study completion31 Mar 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Neck PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Cheng Kung University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Science and Technology Council
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, YI-JU TSAI, National Cheng Kung University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06474130
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NCKU_VR
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 19 Jun 2024
- Last updated
- 8 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Chiu YL, Lee PY, Lim PL, Cheng KC, Yin ZX, Tsai YJ. Validity and Reliability of an Immersive Virtual Reality System for Multidimensional Assessment of Cervical Sensorimotor Control: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2026 May 21;13:e88498. doi: 10.2196/88498.
PubMed 42166767
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Cervical Sensorimotor Control Assessment Using a Virtual Reality System in Individuals With and Without Chronic Neck Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06474130
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NCKU_VR
- Conditions
- Neck Pain, Virtual Reality, Sensorimotor
- Keywords
- Sensorimotor control, Virtual Reality, Chronic neck Pain, cervical
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- National Cheng Kung UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Science and Technology Council
- Study start
- 17 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Mar 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 25 Jun 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
To develop a cervical SMC VR assessment system incorporating different SMC tests and to compare cervical SMC performance using this self-developed VR assessment system in individuals with and without CNP
Study design
- Observational model
- Case-control
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic neck pain group | – | –Pain was unilateral or bilateral between the superior nuchal line and 1st thoracic vertebra; Neck pain persisting for 3 months and above; Average pain intensity of last pain episode was between 2 and 8 based on the numerical rating scale (NRS). |
| Healthy adults group | – | –Do not have any complaints of current pain and impairments of neuromusculoskeletal systems within the last 6 months. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- Patients with CNP will be recruited from the affiliated hospital, local outpatient clinics, local communities and around the campus. Healthy adults will be recruited from the local communities near the university in the Tainan city.
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- For patients with chronic neck pain:
- Healthy asymptomatic adults:
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- acute or the first onset of neck pain
- previous fracture or surgery of the spine
- diagnosed cardiopulmonary diseases, for example, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema
- diagnosed gastrointestinal and abdominal conditions which may interfere daily activities within the past 6 months
- medical conditions that may affect balance and study procedures (e.g. neurological diseases, vestibular disorders, malignant tumors)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Cervical Range of Motion (ROM)
Time frame: One day
Participants will follow the instructions that appeared in the VR HMD to perform active maximal neck flexion, extension, side bending and rotation. The maximal ROM in each direction will be calculated and obtained based on the IMU sensors embedded in the HMD.
Joint Position Error (JPE)
Time frame: One day
There will be a virtual target displayed in the VR HMD. Participant will be instructed to remember this position, then close their eyes and move the head away from the target center, and then return to the initial starting position. Difference between the starting position and final position in distance (mm) will be calculated.
Figure of Eight (FOE)
Time frame: One day
The participant will be instructed to control the red dot moving along the path of the figure-of-eight as accurately as possible by moving their head.
Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV)
Time frame: One day
A tilted white rod will be presented at different angles for 1-degree interval from 45 to 135 degrees randomly on the display as described above. The rod will be precisely controlled by using left and right arrow keys of a keyboard. Participants will be instructed to reposition the white rod so that the white rod will be positioned vertically while keeping the head and neck as still as possible.
Head Tile Response (HTR)
Time frame: One day
A tilted white rod will be presented at different angles for 1-degree interval from 45 to 135 degrees randomly on the display as described above. Participants will be instructed to tilt their heads laterally so that the line will be re-positioned vertically.
Saccades
Time frame: One day
Two virtual white targets at 90 degrees of visual angle positioned 0.82 m apart from the participant will be displayed in the VR HMD. Participants will be asked to shift their gaze quickly between two targets without moving their heads for 10 secs.
Smooth Pursuit Neck Torsion (SPNT)
Time frame: One day
A virtual red-dot target is displayed in the VR HMD. The target will move in a horizontal plane with a sinusoidal pattern (30 degrees per second) from left to right and back 10 times with a visual angle of 40 degrees. Participants will be requested to follow the moving target with their eyes and keep their heads still.
Postural Sway (PS)
Time frame: One day
Participants will be asked to follow the instructions that appeared in the VR HMD and stand still for 30 seconds in EO or EC condition and in neck neutral or neck torsion 45-degree position
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Apr 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42166767Chiu YL, Lee PY, Lim PL, Cheng KC, Yin ZX, Tsai YJ. Validity and Reliability of an Immersive Virtual Reality System for Multidimensional Assessment of Cervical Sensorimotor Control: Cross-Sectional Study. JMIR Rehabil Assist Technol. 2026 May 21;13:e88498. doi: 10.2196/88498.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Neck Pain and Virtual Reality, run by National Cheng Kung University at 1 site in Taiwan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Taiwan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cervical Range of Motion (ROM) (time frame: One day). The study lists 8 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06474130, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Apr 2026.