• Virtual reality (VR) serves as a novel non-pharmacological intervention for neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI), applicable alone or in combination with other therapies.
• Virtual walking visual illusion is the most widely used single-modal VR strategy for SCI-related neuropathic pain, with preliminary efficacy validated.
• Combining VR with transcranial direct current stimulation, tactile feedback, proprioceptive input, and motor therapy expands clinical applications, offering multimodal treatment strategies.
• VR intervention targets both spinal central sensitization and brain plasticity abnormalities, addressing the multidimensional pathogenesis of neuropathic pain post-SCI.