Virtual Reality Training on Technical Skills, Training Load and Mental Fatigue in Football

NCT07691229 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 20.478.486/1607
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising supplementary training tool in football, yet no study has simultaneously examined its effects on technical skills, training load, and mental fatigue within a randomized controlled design. This study evaluated the effects of an 8-week Rezzil Index® VR training program on football-specific technical skills, training load (sRPE), and mental fatigue in licensed male football players. Twenty-four male football players (age: 18.82±0.85 years) were randomly assigned to a VR training group (n=12) or a control group (n=12). The VR group completed two supplementary sessions per week using the Rezzil Index® application (HTC Vive Pro and Oculus Quest 2) in addition to regular team training. Football-specific technical skills, mental fatigue (Modified Color-Word Stroop Test), and training load (session RPE) were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The VR group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in all technical skill measures (p\<0.05; d=0.91-1.69, large effects). Rezzil Index® VR training is an effective complementary method for improving football-specific technical skills.

Conditions

Athletic Performance; Mental Fatigue

Keywords

virtual reality; football; technical skills; training load; mental fatigue

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Football-Specific Technical Skills (Heading, Moving Ball Striking, Fixed Ball Striking, Loughborough Soccer Passing Test)

  Baseline and Week 8

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Training Load (Session Rating of Perceived Exertion - sRPE)

  Weekly, 8 weeks

• Mental Fatigue (Modified Color-Word Stroop Test)

  Baseline and Week 8

Study Arms (2)

VR Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed Rezzil Index VR training twice weekly for 8 weeks in addition to regular team training.

Device: Rezzil Index VR

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants continued regular team training only.

Behavioral: Regular Team Training

Interventions

Rezzil Index VR DEVICE

Immersive VR football training application (HTC Vive Pro and Oculus Quest 2), 2 sessions/week, 8 weeks

VR Training Group

Regular Team Training BEHAVIORAL

Participants continued their standard club football training sessions as normal, with no additional VR-based or experimental intervention applied.

Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Licensed male football players aged 18 years or older
• Active participation in regular team training
• No history of serious musculoskeletal injury in the past 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• History of serious injury or surgical intervention
• Psychiatric or neurological conditions
• Regular use of medication affecting cognitive performance
• Prior experience with VR training systems

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Manisa Celal Bayar University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Manisa Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Manisa, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Mental Fatigue

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Fatigue; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 29, 2026
• First Posted: July 8, 2026
• Study Start: December 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2023
• Study Completion: March 1, 2023
• Last Updated: July 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)