Ignite Creation Date:
2024-06-16 @ 11:47 AM
Last Modification Date:
2024-10-26 @ 3:30 PM
Study NCT ID:
NCT06420414
Status:
COMPLETED
Last Update Posted:
2024-05-20
First Post:
2024-05-14
Brief Title:
Physiological and Psychological Effects of Virtual Reality vs Traditional Exercise
Sponsor:
Teesside University
Organization:
Teesside University
Study Overview
Official Title:
Comparing Physiological and Psychological Effects of Virtual Reality Vs Traditional HIIT In Healthy Individuals Results From A Preliminary Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial
Status:
COMPLETED
Status Verified Date:
2024-05
Last Known Status:
None
Delayed Posting:
No
If Stopped, Why?:
Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access:
False
If Expanded Access, NCT#:
N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status:
N/A
Acronym:
None
Brief Summary:
This study aimed to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of immersive Virtual Reality VR as an alternative to traditional High-Intensity Interval Training HIIT by comparing physiological and psychological outcomes in physically active university students The pilot randomised controlled trial utilised a parallel design involving two groups one group performed HIIT using the Facebook Oculus Quest 2 VR headset with the FitXR fitness game while the other undertook traditional HIIT training that mirrored the movements and actions of the VR game
The studys findings suggest that fully immersive VR provides a unique and potentially more enjoyable alternative to traditional HIIT particularly because it may enhance motivation while still achieving health benefits This pilot research study highlights VRs potential to reach high-flow states in exercise where individuals become deeply absorbed and derive satisfaction from the activity It also lays the groundwork for future studies involving larger sample sizes and clinical populations to further investigate the psychological and physiological impacts of VR-based exercise
In summary this pilot randomised controlled trial found that immersive VR could be a feasible and effective alternative to traditional HIIT training offering similar physiological benefits while enhancing exercise motivation and enjoyment Further research is necessary to validate these preliminary results and extend them to diverse populations
The studys findings suggest that fully immersive VR provides a unique and potentially more enjoyable alternative to traditional HIIT particularly because it may enhance motivation while still achieving health benefits This pilot research study highlights VRs potential to reach high-flow states in exercise where individuals become deeply absorbed and derive satisfaction from the activity It also lays the groundwork for future studies involving larger sample sizes and clinical populations to further investigate the psychological and physiological impacts of VR-based exercise
In summary this pilot randomised controlled trial found that immersive VR could be a feasible and effective alternative to traditional HIIT training offering similar physiological benefits while enhancing exercise motivation and enjoyment Further research is necessary to validate these preliminary results and extend them to diverse populations
Detailed Description:
Study Objectives and Design This study was designed as a pilot randomised controlled trial RCT to investigate the feasibility efficacy and effects of immersive VR compared to traditional HIIT on physiological and psychological outcomes in physically active university students The parallel-design trial was conducted in accordance with the CONSORT guidelines and approved by the Teesside University Health Research Ethics Sub-Committee The VR intervention used the Facebook Oculus Quest 2 VR headset with the fitness game FitXR while the non-VR group completed traditional HIIT that replicated the same movements as in the VR game
Participants and Recruitment A purposive sampling method was used to recruit ten healthy physiotherapy students from Teesside University Participants had to lead an active lifestyle defined as performing either 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise and have no prior experience with VR-based exercise Those with medical conditions preventing them from exercising or those unable to give informed consent were excluded Participants were recruited via email through a gatekeeper indicating their willingness to participate by contacting the research physiotherapist directly The allocation to either the VR or non-VR group was stratified by gender and block-randomised in blocks of five using a computer-generated software Research Randomizer
Interventions
Exergaming via VR
Participants in the VR group used the Facebook Oculus Quest 2 and FitXR a fitness game in high-speed HIIT class mode The 15-minute session included functional movements such as squats lunges and trunk rotations while trying to hit virtual targets by punching The training session had a 10-second rest between each interval and participants followed instructions from a virtual trainer
Traditional HIIT
The non-VR group followed a traditional HIIT session that mirrored the movements from the FitXR game Participants replicated movements such as squats with punches as pre-recorded and displayed on a laptop The session matched the VR groups overall duration and intervals
Safety and Blinding To ensure safety while using the VR headset participants were restricted to a 3m by 3m safety boundary Stepping out of the boundary automatically paused the game activating external cameras to provide real-world visibility Blinding was not feasible due to the nature of the intervention but the researcher responsible for the data analysis was unaware of the group allocations to reduce bias
Outcome Measures
Physiological Outcomes
Heart Rate Measured using a Polar RS400 monitor Exercise intensity was calculated as a percentage of the maximum heart rate HRmax and heart rate reserve HRR The intensity was categorised according to American Heart Association standards
Rating of Perceived Exertion RPE Measured using Borgs CR-10 scale every five minutes Scores ranged from 0 rest to 10 maximum effort
Psychological Outcomes
Flow State Scale FSS Assessed engagement and motivation using a 36-item questionnaire with nine subscales Participants rated items on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree The subscales measured challenge-skill balance action-awareness merging clear goals unambiguous feedback and other factors
Statistical Analysis A frequentist approach was employed with SPSS software version 26 Independent-samples t-tests were used with a significance level of 005 and effect sizes were expressed using Cohens d small 02 moderate 05 large 08 Bayesian data analysis was conducted with JASP software to assess the robustness of findings Bayes factors were calculated to compare evidence for alternative versus null hypotheses Robustness checks were performed to ensure results remained consistent across different prior distributions
Sample Size and Feasibility Given that this was a pilot study the emphasis was placed on assessing feasibility rather than ensuring the study was fully powered As such recruitment spanned a period of time with the objective of enrolling as many patients as possible without specifying a target participant number to achieve optimal study power An aim of this study was therefore to explore feasibility and preliminary outcomes which will inform future larger-scale research
Conclusion This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that immersive VR training can offer a feasible alternative to traditional HIIT achieving comparable physiological benefits with potentially greater intrinsic motivation and engagement Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings and assess VRs impacts on diverse clinical populations
Participants and Recruitment A purposive sampling method was used to recruit ten healthy physiotherapy students from Teesside University Participants had to lead an active lifestyle defined as performing either 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise and have no prior experience with VR-based exercise Those with medical conditions preventing them from exercising or those unable to give informed consent were excluded Participants were recruited via email through a gatekeeper indicating their willingness to participate by contacting the research physiotherapist directly The allocation to either the VR or non-VR group was stratified by gender and block-randomised in blocks of five using a computer-generated software Research Randomizer
Interventions
Exergaming via VR
Participants in the VR group used the Facebook Oculus Quest 2 and FitXR a fitness game in high-speed HIIT class mode The 15-minute session included functional movements such as squats lunges and trunk rotations while trying to hit virtual targets by punching The training session had a 10-second rest between each interval and participants followed instructions from a virtual trainer
Traditional HIIT
The non-VR group followed a traditional HIIT session that mirrored the movements from the FitXR game Participants replicated movements such as squats with punches as pre-recorded and displayed on a laptop The session matched the VR groups overall duration and intervals
Safety and Blinding To ensure safety while using the VR headset participants were restricted to a 3m by 3m safety boundary Stepping out of the boundary automatically paused the game activating external cameras to provide real-world visibility Blinding was not feasible due to the nature of the intervention but the researcher responsible for the data analysis was unaware of the group allocations to reduce bias
Outcome Measures
Physiological Outcomes
Heart Rate Measured using a Polar RS400 monitor Exercise intensity was calculated as a percentage of the maximum heart rate HRmax and heart rate reserve HRR The intensity was categorised according to American Heart Association standards
Rating of Perceived Exertion RPE Measured using Borgs CR-10 scale every five minutes Scores ranged from 0 rest to 10 maximum effort
Psychological Outcomes
Flow State Scale FSS Assessed engagement and motivation using a 36-item questionnaire with nine subscales Participants rated items on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree The subscales measured challenge-skill balance action-awareness merging clear goals unambiguous feedback and other factors
Statistical Analysis A frequentist approach was employed with SPSS software version 26 Independent-samples t-tests were used with a significance level of 005 and effect sizes were expressed using Cohens d small 02 moderate 05 large 08 Bayesian data analysis was conducted with JASP software to assess the robustness of findings Bayes factors were calculated to compare evidence for alternative versus null hypotheses Robustness checks were performed to ensure results remained consistent across different prior distributions
Sample Size and Feasibility Given that this was a pilot study the emphasis was placed on assessing feasibility rather than ensuring the study was fully powered As such recruitment spanned a period of time with the objective of enrolling as many patients as possible without specifying a target participant number to achieve optimal study power An aim of this study was therefore to explore feasibility and preliminary outcomes which will inform future larger-scale research
Conclusion This pilot study provides preliminary evidence that immersive VR training can offer a feasible alternative to traditional HIIT achieving comparable physiological benefits with potentially greater intrinsic motivation and engagement Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings and assess VRs impacts on diverse clinical populations
Study Oversight
Has Oversight DMC:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?:
False
Is a FDA Regulated Device?:
False
Is an Unapproved Device?:
None
Is a PPSD?:
None
Is a US Export?:
None
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:
None