Virtual Reality-Based Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test in Young Adults

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

Validity and Reliability of the Immersive Virtual Reality Adaptation of the Five-Repetition Sit-to- Stand Test in Asymptomatic Young Adults

Lower extremity muscle strength is a fundamental determinant of an individual's ability to maintain functional mobility, preserve balance, and perform activities of daily living independently. One of the methods used for the comprehensive evaluation of these functions is the Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand (5STS) test, which is considered an effective tool for assessing lower extremity strength, balance, and functional mobility in both healthy individuals and various clinical populations. In this test, participants are required to consecutively stand up from and sit down on a chair five times without using their arms, and the completion time is recorded in seconds to objectively evaluate functional capacity. Due to its simplicity, low cost, and high reliability, the 5STS test is widely used in clinical and research settings.

However, functional tests administered in conventional clinical environments may be insufficiently standardized due to factors such as examiner-related variability, measurement errors, and environmental influences. This limitation makes it difficult to detect small performance differences and restricts test repeatability. In recent years, rapidly advancing virtual reality (VR) technology has contributed to overcoming these limitations by offering the potential to digitally standardize measurement processes. VR systems, which recreate real-life scenarios in a three-dimensional and interactive manner, allow for a more comprehensive and objective assessment of motor performance. In addition, by increasing user interaction and reducing observer-related errors, VR enhances clinical validity. One study has reported that the most important advantage of VR in clinical balance assessments is its ability to provide a fully controllable, repeatable, and standardized environment. Similarly, a systematic review found that VR-based exercises resulted in significant improvements in motor skills, balance, and cognitive function, while increasing user engagement and motivation and thereby contributing to more effective rehabilitation outcomes.

Current literature indicates that VR technology is increasingly being utilized in physiotherapy and exercise sciences. In one study, the validity and feasibility of a VR adaptation of the Wingate Anaerobic Test were investigated, and it was reported that the VR version produced performance outcomes comparable to the conventional test, while participant satisfaction was significantly higher with the VR-based method. Likewise, another study demonstrated that the VR adaptation of the Six-Minute Pegboard and Ring Test exhibited high levels of validity and reliability. Together, these studies indicate that VR-based functional tests are both feasible and clinically consistent.

Despite this, no studies to date have examined the validity and reliability of the Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test in an immersive VR environment for assessing lower extremity function. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the validity, reliability, and feasibility of a virtual reality-based Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test (5STS-VR) developed on the Meta Quest 3 platform in asymptomatic young adults. Additionally, convergent validity will be evaluated by analyzing the relationships between performance data obtained from the virtual environment and outcomes of the Y-Balance Test and lower extremity muscle strength measurements.

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 neurological, cardiovascular, or musculoskeletal conditions affecting functional performance.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged between 18 and 30 years,
  • Asymptomatic, with no neurological, cardiovascular, or musculoskeletal symptoms,
  • Ability to perform activities of daily living independently,
  • Visual, auditory, and vestibular functions adequate 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 procedure, or serious musculoskeletal condition within the past six months,
  • Presence of vestibular disorders, balance impairment, or visual or hearing impairments,
  • Experiencing symptoms of VR sickness, such as dizziness, nausea, or spatial disorientation during virtual reality applications,
  • Diagnosis of neurological, cardiovascular, or metabolic disease,
  • Engaging in intensive exercise or being a professional athlete,
  • Insufficient cognitive ability to understand 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 Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand assessments to evaluate feasibility, validity, and reliability.
Other: Clinical Assessments
Participants will perform the Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test using an immersive virtual reality application developed for the Meta Quest 3 platform. The virtual environment digitally replicates the conventional test setup, including chair height, starting position, movement sequence, and completion criteria. Test duration will be automatically recorded by the system. The virtual reality-based assessment is designed to provide a standardized, objective, and reproducible evaluation of lower extremity functional performance and will be repeated to assess test-retest reliability.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test - Virtual Reality (5STS-VR)
Time Frame: Baseline and 1-week follow-up
This outcome measure will be used to assess lower extremity functional performance using an immersive virtual reality-based adaptation of the Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test. Test completion time will be automatically recorded by the system. Validity will be evaluated by comparison with the conventional Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test, and reliability will be assessed using repeated measurements performed one week apart.
Baseline and 1-week follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Test - Conventional
Time Frame: Baseline
The conventional Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test will be administered to assess lower extremity strength and functional mobility and will be used as a reference measure for concurrent validity analysis.
Baseline
Y-Balance Test
Time Frame: Baseline
The Y-Balance Test will be used to assess dynamic balance and postural control. Results will be used to examine convergent validity of the virtual reality-based Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand test.
Baseline
Lower Extremity Muscle Strength
Time Frame: Baseline
Lower extremity muscle strength will be measured using a handheld digital dynamometer to evaluate its relationship with functional performance and virtual reality-based Five-Repetition Sit-to-Stand outcomes.
Baseline
Participant Satisfaction
Time Frame: Baseline
Participant satisfaction with conventional and virtual reality-based assessments will be evaluated using a 10-point visual analog 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: Yusuf ÖZBAĞ, 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_VR5STS_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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