Acute Effect of Immersive VR Technology on Postural Control and Reaction Time in Young Adults

NCT07709065 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2/01/2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 81
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study investigates the acute effects of short-term immersive virtual reality (VR) exposure on sensory organization and reaction time in young adults aged 18-25 years. It is designed as a randomized controlled trial. Participants are eligible if they provide written informed consent, complete all study questionnaires, are aged 18-25 years, are able to maintain an upright standing posture, have non-professional athletic status, have no neurological or psychiatric disorders, use a phone or computer for at least 1 hour per day, and do not take medication affecting the nervous system. Exclusion criteria include age outside the 18-25 range, pregnancy, disability, metal implants, epilepsy, inability to provide consent, frequent migraines, balance disorders, recent surgery or injury (within 6 months), uncorrected visual impairment, skin conditions or allergies preventing device use, acute illness on the day of testing, shift work causing circadian rhythm disruption, prior regular VR use, claustrophobia or anxiety related to enclosed spaces or simulated movement, and intensive physical activity within 24 hours before testing. Eligible participants are randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio using sequentially numbered, sealed, opaque envelopes to either a VR intervention group or a control group. All participants are assessed at baseline and after a 20-minute interval. In the VR group, post-assessment is performed immediately after VR exposure, while in the control group it follows a matched resting period. All measurements are conducted by a single trained examiner at a similar time of day using a standardized protocol. Anthropometric measurements (height and body mass) are obtained barefoot using a medical scale (Charder MS4971, Taiwan), and body mass index (BMI) is calculated. Postural control and reaction time are assessed using computerized dynamic posturography with the NeuroCom Balance Manager system. Two standardized protocols are used: the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) and the Limits of Stability (LOS). The SOT evaluates the integration of somatosensory, visual, and vestibular inputs for postural control across six sensory conditions involving variations in platform and visual stability. The LOS assesses voluntary control of the center of gravity toward visual targets without loss of balance, providing measures of movement accuracy and reaction time from movement initiation to target acquisition. The primary outcome is the composite SOT score. Secondary outcomes include SOM, VIS, VEST, and PREF parameters derived from the SOT, as well as reaction time measured in the LOS protocol. The experimental group undergoes a 20-minute VR intervention using the HTC VIVE Cosmos. The intervention consists of a gamified motor coordination task ("Adventure Climb") requiring continuous postural adjustments, rapid visuomotor responses, and whole-body movement coordination in a standing position. The task is designed to stimulate visual-motor integration and dynamic balance control. The control group remains at rest for the same duration and does not receive any active intervention, allowing isolation of the effects of VR exposure. Due to the nature of the intervention, blinding of participants, assessors, and intervention providers is not feasible. After the intervention or rest period, all participants repeat the SOT and LOS assessments under identical conditions to evaluate the acute effects of VR exposure on postural control and reaction time.

Conditions

Healthy Young Adults

Keywords

virtual reality; postural control; sensory organization; balance; reaction time; serious gaming; gamification

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Composite Score (CS) (%)

  Composite score (CS) is assessed using the NeuroCom Balance Manager system during the Sensory Organization Test (SOT). The score represents overall postural stability across all SOT conditions. Higher scores indicate better postural stability.

  up to 10 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Somatosensory Index (SOM) (%)

  up to 10 weeks

• Visual Index (VIS) (%)

  up to 10 weeks

• Vestibular Index (VEST) (%)

  up to 10 weeks

• Visual Preference Index (PREF) (%)

  up to 10 weeks

• Reaction Time (RT) (s)

  up to 10 weeks

Study Arms (2)

VR intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

A 20-minute VR-based intervention using the HTC VIVE Cosmos as a gamified motor coordination task ("Adventure Climb") requiring continuous postural adjustments, rapid visuomotor responses, and whole-body movement coordination in a standing position. The task is designed to stimulate visual-motor integration and dynamic balance control

Behavioral: Virtual reality gamified motor coordination task

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Remaining at rest during the corresponding period

Interventions

Virtual reality gamified motor coordination task BEHAVIORAL

A 20-minute VR-based intervention using the HTC VIVE Cosmos as a gamified motor coordination task ("Adventure Climb") requiring continuous postural adjustments, rapid visuomotor responses, and whole-body movement coordination in a standing position. The task is designed to stimulate visual-motor integration and dynamic balance control

VR intervention

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• written informed consent and complete questionnaire completion;
• age between 18 and 25 years;
• ability to maintain upright standing posture;
• non-professional athletic status;
• no neurological or psychiatric disorders;
• regular use of a phone or computer for at least 1 hour per day;
• no medication affecting the nervous system.

You may not qualify if:

• age \<18 or \>25 years;
• pregnancy;
• disability;
• metal implants;
• epilepsy;
• lack of informed consent;
• frequent migraines;
• balance disorders;
• surgery or injury within the previous 6 months;
• uncorrected visual impairment;
• skin conditions or allergies preventing device use;
• acute illness on the day of testing;
• shift work causing circadian rhythm disruption;
• prior regular use of VR technology;
• claustrophobia or anxiety related to enclosed spaces or simulated movement; and

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Rzeszow: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Rzeszów

Rzeszów, 35-328, Poland

Location

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: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 6, 2026
• First Posted: July 16, 2026
• Study Start: January 22, 2026
• Primary Completion: March 31, 2026
• Study Completion: March 31, 2026
• Last Updated: July 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Locations

PL (1)