The Efficacy of an Immersive Virtual Reality Exergame Incorporating an Adaptive Cable Resistance System on Fitness and Cardiometabolic Measures: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial

Mitchell S. Mologne (), Jonathan Hu, Erik Carrillo, David Gomez, Trent Yamamoto, Stevin Lu, Jonathan D. Browne and Brett A. Dolezal
Additional contact information
Mitchell S. Mologne: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Jonathan Hu: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Erik Carrillo: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
David Gomez: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Trent Yamamoto: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Stevin Lu: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Jonathan D. Browne: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Brett A. Dolezal: Airway & UCFit Digital Health-Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Exergaming, combining elements of video game into the realm of exercise, has recently incorporated immersive virtual reality (IVR) with resistance training. Thirty-two participants (14 females, mean age = 24.3) were randomized to IVR or self-directed control group (SELF) and worked out thrice weekly for 12 weeks (for 36 sessions). The IVR group spent 14 fewer minutes per session ( p < 0.001) while reporting the sessions “enjoyable’. Compared to SELF, the IVR group had significantly greater improvement in changes from baseline to post-training in upper-and-lower muscular strength (1-RM) and muscular endurance (85% 1-RM) (14.3 kg vs. 10.0 kg for 1-RM upper, 28.6 kg vs. 22.5 kg for 1-RM lower, 2.6 reps vs. 1.9 reps for 85% 1-RM of upper, 2.7 vs. 2.0 reps for 85% 1-RM of lower, all p < 0.001), peak leg power (1424 vs. 865 W, p < 0.001), body fat% (−3.7% vs. −1.9%, p < 0.001), heart rate variability (4.3 vs. 1.8 ms, p < 0.001), rVO2max (3.28 vs. 0.89 mL/min/kg, p < 0.001) with decreased systolic BP (−0.4 vs. −2.3 mmHg, p < 0.001), and level of perceived exertion during workouts (RPE 14 vs. 16, p < 0.001). With its high-paced and action-filled gaming coupled with superior fitness and cardiometabolic outcomes, this IVR exergaming platform should be considered as another exercise modality for performance and health-related training.

Keywords: exergaming; immersive virtual reality; exercise; strength training (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/210/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/210/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:210-:d:1012641

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().