The Effect of Virtual Reality Exercises on Patients With Post-COVID-19 Condition

NCT04983394 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: SivasCumhuriyetUniversity
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 79
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to investigate (I) the effectiveness of motion-controlled video game-based VR exercises on pain, fatigue, functional capacity, mood, and quality of life in patients with PCC, and (II) to determine whether they are superior to conventional exercise.

Conditions

Covid19

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• visual Analogue Scale

  8th week

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• hospital anxiety and depression scale-Depression

  0th and 8th week

• hospital anxiety and depression scale-Anxiety

  0th and 8th week

• Fatigue severity scale

  0th and 8th week

• Short Form-12

  0th and 8th week

• 6 minutes walking test

  0th and 8th week

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Realty

EXPERIMENTAL

Virtual reality exercises were implemented semi-immersively in the Kinect Sports Rivals program via the Microsoft Xbox One Kinect game console and Kinect V2 infrared camera. Participants were positioned 2 meters away from a 55-inch LCD screen in a well-lit room. Motion-controlled video games, including tennis, bowling, soccer, target shooting, climbing, and jet ski racing, were played against a virtual opponent, starting at a basic difficulty level and increasing in difficulty based on the participant's ability to defeat their opponent. Game transitions and difficulty adjustments were provided by the physical therapist. Participants performed plyometric movements such as jumping and shooting, as well as limb and spine movements, to direct the avatar and ensured the coordination of their movements.

Other: Virtual Realty Exercises

Conventional

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Flexibility exercises were performed during the warm-up and cool-down periods of aerobic exercise for 3-5 minutes, consisting of static and dynamic upper and lower extremity stretching exercises in standing and sitting positions. Neuromuscular exercises were performed on the Bosu ball and balance board with eyes open and closed, using one or both feet. Aerobic exercise using a bicycle ergometer was performed for 20-30 minutes, depending on patient tolerance, starting at 60% of the age-determined maximum heart rate and increasing by 5% every 2 weeks (75% in the last 2 weeks). Strengthening exercises were performed for 10-15 minutes using dumbbells or sandbags targeting the large muscles of the upper and lower extremities. Initially, one set of strengthening exercises was performed with 8 repetitions targeting 6 different muscles at 50% of 1 RM intensity. Depending on patient tolerance, the exercise intensity was increased weekly to 70%, the number of muscles worked to 10, the number o

Other: conventional exercises

Interventions

Virtual Realty Exercises OTHER

motion-controlled video game

Virtual Realty

conventional exercises OTHER

aerobic, strength, stretching, and neuromuscular exercises

Conventional

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• diagnosed with COVID-19 by polymerase chain reaction from an oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal swab sample more than 90 days ago, and who had PCC symptoms for at least eight weeks

You may not qualify if:

• have been hospitalized due to COVID-19,
• have developed pneumonia or organ failure findings.
• have had an acute myocardial infarction in the last 2 years,
• have cardiovascular system disease such as uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmia, aneurysm, cardiac failure,
• have undergone fracture or orthopedic surgery in the last 2 years,
• have a known chronic respiratory system disease,
• have widespread pain such as fibromyalgia syndrome

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cumhuriyet University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sivas Cumhuriyet University

Sivas, 58050, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

COVID-19

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Respiratory Tract Infections; Infections; Virus Diseases; Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

• Musa Polat

  Cumhuriyet University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 28, 2021
• First Posted: July 30, 2021
• Study Start: July 30, 2021
• Primary Completion: February 27, 2022
• Study Completion: February 27, 2022
• Last Updated: September 8, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)