Degenerative Spine Disease clinical trials at UC Irvine

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a virtual reality-based cognitive behavioral therapy (VR-CBT) prehabilitation program can improve recovery and quality of life for adults undergoing elective spine surgery. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does participating in an 8-week VR-CBT prehabilitation program before surgery improve physical function and pain-related outcomes at 12 months after surgery? Does VR-CBT prehabilitation reduce postoperative anxiety, depression, and pain interference compared with usual preoperative care? Researchers will compare participants who receive the VR-CBT prehabilitation program plus usual care to participants who receive usual preoperative care alone to see if the VR-CBT program leads to better recovery and patient-reported outcomes. Participants will: Use a VR headset at home to complete structured CBT-based prehabilitation sessions over 8 weeks before surgery. Attend routine clinic visits and complete questionnaires about pain, function, mood, and quality of life before surgery and through 12 months after surgery. Allow the research team to review their medical records for information about surgery, complications, and postoperative recovery.