Effects of Virtual Reality and Traditional Exercise on Cognitive and Physical Performance in Sedentary Adults

Summary

This study aimed to compare the effects of virtual reality (VR)-based exercise and traditional exercise methods on selected physiological and cognitive parameters in sedentary individuals. Sedentary lifestyles are increasingly associated with reduced physical fitness and impaired cognitive performance, including decreased concentration, slower reaction time, and reduced flexibility. While traditional exercise programs are effective, their long-term adherence may be limited due to low motivation.

Virtual reality-based exercise has emerged as an innovative approach that combines physical activity with interactive and engaging environments, potentially enhancing both motivation and cognitive engagement. Therefore, this study investigated whether VR-based exercise provides additional benefits compared to traditional exercise.

A total of 33 sedentary adults were randomly assigned to three groups: a VR exercise group, a traditional exercise group, and a control group. The intervention groups participated in structured exercise programs three times per week for eight weeks, while the control group maintained their usual lifestyle without exercise intervention.

Outcome measures included concentration, reaction time (hand and foot), balance, and flexibility, assessed before and after the intervention. The findings of this study are expected to contribute to understanding whether VR-based exercise can be used as an effective alternative to traditional exercise methods for improving both cognitive and physical performance in sedentary populations.

Conditions

• Sedentary Behaviors
• Physical Inactivity

Interventions

OTHER

Virtual Reality Exercise Training

Participants in this intervention arm completed a structured virtual reality-based exercise training program for 8 weeks, with sessions conducted 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Training sessions were performed using an Oculus 3 virtual reality headset and included interactive exercise modules delivered through VR applications (FitXR, Holofit, PowerBeats VR, and similar platforms). Each session consisted of standardized warm-up exercises, main training tasks targeting aerobic capacity, balance, reaction time, and flexibility, and a cool-down period. All sessions were conducted under controlled laboratory conditions with standardized environmental settings.

OTHER

Traditional Exercise Training

Participants in this intervention arm completed a structured traditional exercise training program for 8 weeks, with sessions conducted 3 days per week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The training protocol consisted of the same exercise components as the VR group, including aerobic, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises, but performed in a real-world environment without virtual reality technology. Each session included standardized warm-up exercises, main exercise sets (such as squats, lunges, jumping, reaction drills, balance tasks, and flexibility exercises), and a cool-down period. All sessions were supervised and conducted under controlled laboratory conditions with standardized environmental settings.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Recep Tayyip Erdogan University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Halil İ Çakır, Asst. Prof. Dr. · Recep Tayyip Erdogan University

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-05

Primary Completion

2026-01-15

Completion

2026-04-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations