Yoga With and Without VR for Core, Balance, and Stress in University Students

Summary

The present study aims to investigate the combined and comparative effects of yoga exercise performed with and without virtual reality (VR) support on stress levels, core stabilization, and balance in university students aged 18-30. Participants will be screened using validated stress assessment tools to ensure inclusion of individuals with moderate to high perceived stress. Eligible participants will then be randomly assigned to one of two groups:(1) a virtual reality yoga group (VRYG), in which yoga sessions are delivered through immersive VR environments with therapist-guided breathing and movement instruction; and (2) a Traditional Yoga Group (TYG), in which the same therapist will give the same breathing and movement instructions without VR.

Both groups will undergo 12 supervised sessions over a period of four weeks (three sessions per week, each lasting 30 minutes). The intervention protocol includes a structured series of yoga postures designed to target trunk stability, flexibility, and balance, along with breathing techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing and the 4-7-8 method to promote relaxation and stress reduction. The VR group will perform these exercise within calming, immersive virtual environments,while the control group will perform them in a quite,well-lit physical space.

Outcome measures will be collected at baseline and after completion of the intervention. Psychological stress will be evaluated using the Depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21) with a focus on the stress sub-scale.Physiological indicators, including heart rate and blood pressure will be recorded at rest. Core stabilization will be assessed through plank and side-plank endurance tests, while balance will be evaluated using both static (single-leg stance) and dynamic (Y-Balance Test) protocols. These measures will allow for a comprehensive analysis of the intervention's effects on both mental and physical domains of health.

Conditions

• Health-Related Behavior

Interventions

OTHER

Yoga

A structured yoga program designed to improve core stability, postura balance, and stress management. The traditional yoga sessions will focus on breathing control, static and dynamic postures, and progressive muscles engagements. Each session last 30 minutes it's supervised by a physiotherapist, and takes place in a quiet room to minimise external distractions.

OTHER

Virtual Reality

The VR environment will be created by the MetaQuest 2 which is a immersive virtual realty headset. During the application, the environment will be chosen by the participants among pre-decided virtual environments, such as forest or ocean. According to the environment, the objects around the participants will move with their sounds. The sounds will be only related to the environment like the bird sound, waterfall sound or the wave sound. There is no instruction in the environment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istinye University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Çiçek Günday, Asst. Prof. · Istinye University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

30 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-06-19

Primary Completion

2026-01-30

Completion

2026-01-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations