Virtual Reality-Based Timed Up and Go Test in Young Adults

January 15, 2026 updated by: Mehmet Kaan ALTUNOK, Selcuk University

Validity and Reliability of an Immersive Virtual Reality Adaptation of the Timed Up and Go Test in Asymptomatic Young Adults

Functional mobility encompasses the essential motor skills required for individuals to perform activities of daily living independently and safely. One of the most commonly used methods for assessing this parameter is the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. The TUG test involves standing up from a chair, walking, turning, walking back three meters, and sitting down, and it is a measurement tool that has demonstrated high sensitivity and reliability in clinical practice for evaluating lower extremity function, mobility, and fall risk.

However, tests conducted in conventional clinical settings have limitations in terms of standardization due to examiner-related variability, environmental influences, and measurement subjectivity. These factors may lead to measurement errors, particularly when detecting small performance differences. Advances in virtual reality (VR) technology offer an innovative approach to the assessment and training of motor performance by recreating real-life scenarios in a three-dimensional and interactive manner. VR-based systems allow simultaneous observation of motor and cognitive processes while enhancing user motivation and engagement, thereby making the assessment process more dynamic. Recent studies have demonstrated that VR applications are effective tools in neurological rehabilitation, particularly in conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), for improving balance, walking speed, and functional mobility.

A review of the existing literature reveals that studies evaluating the validity and reliability of VR-based functional tests are limited. Moreover, to date, no study has specifically focused on the validity and reliability of the TUG test in an immersive VR environment for assessing lower extremity functional mobility. Therefore, this study aims to address a significant gap in the literature by being one of the first investigations to examine the validity and reliability of a VR-based version of the TUG test.

This study aims to determine the feasibility, validity, and reliability of the TUG test administered in an immersive VR environment in asymptomatic young adults aged 18-30 years. Additionally, the relationships between VR-based TUG outcomes and the 4-Meter Walk Test, the Four Square Step Test, and lower extremity muscle strength measurements will be examined.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

60

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Selcuklu
      • Konya, Selcuklu, Turkey (Türkiye), 42130
        • Selcuk University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Asymptomatic young adults aged 18-30 years who are able to perform activities of daily living independently and have no musculoskeletal, neurological, or cardiovascular conditions affecting functional mobility.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged between 18 and 30 years,
  • Asymptomatic, with no musculoskeletal, neurological, or cardiovascular symptoms,
  • Ability to perform activities of daily living independently,
  • Visual, auditory, and vestibular functions suitable for virtual reality applications,
  • Ability to understand and follow instructions in Turkish,
  • Willingness to participate voluntarily in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of lower extremity injury, surgical intervention, or serious musculoskeletal condition within the past six months,
  • Presence of vestibular disorders, balance impairment, visual or hearing impairments,
  • Experiencing symptoms of "VR sickness," such as nausea, dizziness, or spatial disorientation during virtual reality applications,
  • History of neurological, cardiovascular, or metabolic diseases,
  • Regular participation in heavy exercise or professional sports activities,
  • Cognitive impairment that prevents understanding of test instructions,
  • Voluntary withdrawal from the study during the research process.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Asymptomatic Young Adults
Asymptomatic young adults aged 18-30 years undergoing conventional and immersive virtual reality-based Timed Up and Go assessments to evaluate feasibility, validity, and reliability.
Other: Clinical Assessments
Participants will perform the Timed Up and Go test using an immersive virtual reality application developed for the Meta Quest 3 platform. The virtual environment digitally replicates the conventional test setup, including the starting position, turning point, and seating area. Test duration is automatically recorded by the system. The virtual reality-based assessment is designed to provide a standardized, objective, and reproducible evaluation of functional mobility and will be repeated to assess test-retest reliability.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Timed Up and Go Test - Virtual Reality (TUG-VR)
Time Frame: Baseline and 1-week follow-up
This outcome measure will be used to assess functional mobility using an immersive virtual reality-based adaptation of the Timed Up and Go test. Test completion time will be automatically recorded by the system. Validity and reliability will be evaluated by comparison with the conventional Timed Up and Go test and repeated measurements performed one week apart.
Baseline and 1-week follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Timed Up and Go Test - Conventional
Time Frame: Baseline
The conventional Timed Up and Go test will be administered to assess functional mobility and will be used as a reference measure for concurrent validity analysis.
Baseline
4-Meter Walk Test
Time Frame: Baseline
This test will be used to assess short-distance walking performance and gait speed. Results will be used for convergent validity analysis with the virtual reality-based Timed Up and Go test.
Baseline
Four Square Step Test
Time Frame: Baseline
This test will be administered to assess dynamic balance, agility, and directional change ability and will be used for convergent validity analysis.
Baseline
Lower Extremity Muscle Strength
Time Frame: Baseline
Lower extremity muscle strength will be measured using a handheld digital dynamometer to assess its relationship with functional mobility and virtual reality-based Timed Up and Go performance.
Baseline
Participant Satisfaction
Time Frame: Baseline
Participant satisfaction with conventional and virtual reality-based assessments will be evaluated using a 10-point numerical rating scale.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Selcuk University

Investigators

  • Study Chair: İsmail ÖZSOY, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Selcuk University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Konya, Türkiye
  • Study Chair: Murat T İNANÇ, Selcuk University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Konya, Türkiye

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

February 2, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 15, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

January 23, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SelcukU_PT_VR_TUG_ADAPTATION_1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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