Virtual reality and talk therapy ease athletes' fear after ACL surgery
NCT ID NCT06150118
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested whether combining cognitive behavioral therapy with virtual reality can help athletes overcome fear of re-injury and stick to their rehab after ACL surgery. Sixty professional football, volleyball, and basketball players took part. The goal was to see if this approach reduces anxiety and improves confidence in returning to sport.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Cognitive behavioral therapy and virtual reality
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could give athletes a practical way to reduce fear of re-injury and improve their recovery after ACL surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 60 athletes in specific sports, so results may not apply to everyone. The intervention is behavioral, not a drug, so effects may vary.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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60 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2023
- Finished
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Feb 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Volunteering to participate in the study * Have had an ACL injury operation * Be between the ages of 18 and 45 * To be a professional athlete in Turkish leagues * Being an athlete in football, volleyball, and basketball Exclusion Criteria: * Having a discomfort that prevents participants from participating in VR sessions (panic attack, epilepsy, etc.) * Having decided to quit sports even if participants will continue rehabilitation after the operation
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Hacettepe University
Ankara, 06800, Turkey (Türkiye)
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