Exploring the influence of virtual reality aerobic training on functional capacity and aerobic fitness in sedentary females

Abstract

Aim. Lack of physical activity has become a growing concern in modern society, leading to reduced functional ability and diminished aerobic fitness. Exercise is often perceived as boring and difficult, whereas people tend to prefer more enjoyable activities like virtual reality (VR) gaming. Therefore, engaging in VR games as part of physical activity may spark interest and improve physical activity behavior. Materials and methods. Sixty females aged 18–25 years, with obesity class I (BMI 30–34.9), were selected from the Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, and randomly allocated into two groups. Body mass index (BMI), the Queens College Step Test (QCT), and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) were measured before and after the intervention, which consisted of three sessions per week for 8 weeks. Results. There was a significant improvement in BMI post-intervention compared to pre-intervention in both groups, but no significant difference in mean BMI values between the groups. There was also a significant improvement in the Queens College Step Test (QCT) and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) post-intervention compared to pre-intervention in both groups, with significant differences in mean values between the two groups. Conclusions. Virtual reality aerobic exercise (VRAE) and aerobic exercise (AE) are both effective in reducing BMI, but VRAE is more effective in improving functional capacity and aerobic fitness in sedentary adults. It encourages participants to be more active in daily life and maintain a higher level of exercise than the AE group.