Exploring Physiological Responses of Virtual Reality Walking Exercise Versus Treadmill Walking in Healthy Individuals

NCT06679348 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Autonomous Nervous System
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aimed to systematically compare the physiological responses generated by walking exercises conducted in a VR environment versus those performed on a treadmill, with a specific focus on their impacts on the autonomic nervous system and fatigue levels

Conditions

Autonomous Nervous System; Fatigue

Keywords

treadmill; virtual reality; heart rate variability; fatigue

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• autonomic nervous system and fatigue levels

  1. Autonomic Nervous System Function Measure: Heart Rate Variability (HRV) via Polar H10 chest strap. Unit of Measure: Milliseconds (ms) for HRV, reflecting autonomic balance. Interpretation: Higher HRV scores typically indicate better autonomic nervous system regulation, suggesting increased vagal tone and resilience to stress. 2. Fatigue Levels Measure: OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion (OMNI). Unit of Measure: OMNI Scale ranges from 0 (no fatigue) to 10 (maximum fatigue). Interpretation: Higher scores indicate greater perceived exertion and fatigue, while lower scores suggest less perceived exertion.

  Assessments were conducted at four key time points: before the exercise session (T1), immediately after exercise completion (T2), and during the recovery phase at ten minutes post-exercise (T3) and thirty minutes post-exercise (T4).

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality Walking Exercise

EXPERIMENTAL

Walking in virtual reality combined with treadmill exercise

Other: Treadmill walking exercise using VR

Walking on Treadmill

EXPERIMENTAL

walking on treadmills

Other: walking exercise on treadmill

Interventions

walking exercise on treadmill OTHER

The study included two intervention groups, consisting of participants who met the inclusion criteria and adhered to the experimental procedures. One group will do treadmill walking exercises, while the other will do treadmill walking exercises using virtual reality (VR). Both interventions were conducted in a single session, with each group participating in a 20-minute walking exercise session at a moderate intensity, as identified by other studies.

Walking on Treadmill

Treadmill walking exercise using VR OTHER

Walking on the treadmill with the Free Run game on the Nintendo Wii allows users to walk at 5 miles per hour for 20 minutes. The user gets on the Wii Balance Board and starts walking in the virtual environment after running the application. The application detects the user's movements and controls the progress of the virtual character. During this experience, users increase their motivation by encountering various landscapes while tracking their performance and getting information about the calories they spend. This setup provides a fun, game-like atmosphere for a realistic walking experience.

Virtual Reality Walking Exercise

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• classified as inactive or minimally active according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire score
• voluntary consent to participate
• body mass index (BMI) of ≤30 kg/m²

You may not qualify if:

• presence of visual, auditory, vestibular, or neurological deficits
• a history of inflammatory diseases, surgeries, or cancer
• any cardiopulmonary disorders, including asthma, within the last six months
• major musculoskeletal injuries sustained within the last six months
• function, such as diabetes mellitus or autonomic neuropathy
• current smoking status

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Atlas University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul Atlas University

Istanbul, Kagıthane, 34413, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Fatigue

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: asst.prof.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 1, 2024
• First Posted: November 7, 2024
• Study Start: November 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 18, 2024
• Study Completion: December 18, 2024
• Last Updated: December 20, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

TU (1)