Virtual Reality Exergaming During Work Breaks in Office Employees
September 11, 2026 updated by: Abdullah Kayhan, Akdeniz University
Virtual Reality Exergaming for Workplace Breaks: Acute Physical and Affective Responses, Leisure Experience, and Usability in Office Employees
The goal of this trial is to learn how different exercise formats used during workplace breaks affect the immediate physical and emotional responses of office employees. It will also examine participants' leisure experience and the usability of virtual reality exercise.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Do gamified virtual reality exercise, instructor-led virtual reality exercise, and traditional video exercise produce different changes in heart rate and perceived effort?
- Do these exercise formats produce different changes in how pleasant or unpleasant and how activated participants feel?
- Do the exercise formats differ in positive and negative experiences, flow, exercise enjoyment, and satisfaction with the activity?
- Do the two virtual reality formats differ in system usability and virtual reality-related discomfort?
Researchers will compare the three exercise formats to identify differences in participants' immediate responses and experiences.
Participants will:
- Complete three 10-minute exercise sessions on separate days and in a randomly assigned order
- Take part in a gamified virtual reality boxing session, an instructor-led virtual reality exercise session, and a traditional video exercise session
- Wear a heart rate monitor and complete brief questionnaires before and after the sessions
Study Overview
Status
Active, not recruiting
Study Type
Interventional
Enrollment (Estimated)
40
Phase
- Not Applicable
Contacts and Locations
This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.
Study Locations
-
-
Antalya
-
Antalya, Antalya, Turkey (Türkiye), 07070
- Akdeniz University Faculty of Sports Sciences
-
-
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
Description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Aged between 24 and 60 years
- Being a healthy adult employed full-time in an administrative office-based position at Akdeniz University
- Having worked full-time in the current administrative unit for at least one year
- Having a low or moderate physical activity level according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
- Not engaging in regular exercise
- Having no health condition that contraindicates participation in physical activity according to the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
- Not having regularly used active virtual reality technologies within the previous six months
Exclusion Criteria:
- A history of epilepsy, migraine, vertigo, or vestibular disorder
- A history of dizziness, nausea, or similar discomfort during virtual reality exposure
- Current use of antidepressants or medications that affect the central nervous system
- A history of neurological, cardiovascular, or orthopedic disease, except for controlled hypertension
- Pregnancy
- Presence of a visual or hearing impairment
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
- Primary Purpose: Basic Science
- Allocation: Randomized
- Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
- Masking: None (Open Label)
Arms and Interventions
Participant Group / Arm |
Intervention / Treatment |
|---|---|
|
Experimental: Sequence 1: GVRE-SVRE-TVE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 1, serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 2, and traditional video exercise in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
|
Experimental: Sequence 2: SVRE-TVE-GVRE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 1, traditional video exercise in Period 2, and gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
|
Experimental: Sequence 3: TVE-GVRE-SVRE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete traditional video exercise in Period 1, gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 2, and serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
|
Experimental: Sequence 4: GVRE-TVE-SVRE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 1, traditional video exercise in Period 2, and serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
|
Experimental: Sequence 5: TVE-SVRE-GVRE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete traditional video exercise in Period 1, serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 2, and gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
|
Experimental: Sequence 6: SVRE-GVRE-TVE
Participants assigned to this sequence will complete serious virtual reality exergaming in Period 1, gamified virtual reality exergaming in Period 2, and traditional video exercise in Period 3.
Each intervention will be completed once in a separate session.
Consecutive sessions will be separated by a washout period of at least 24 hours.
|
Participants will complete one 10-minute gamified virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR BOX mode, a Meta Quest 3 headset, and handheld controllers.
Participants will perform boxing-based whole-body movements involving virtual targets.
The intervention includes game-related elements such as scoring, pacing, performance tracking, and real-time visual and auditory feedback.
Participants will complete one 10-minute serious virtual reality exergaming session using the FitXR SCULPT mode and a Meta Quest 3 headset.
Participants will follow structured whole-body exercise movements demonstrated by a virtual instructor.
The condition emphasizes movement guidance and exercise performance and contains minimal game-related elements.
Participants will complete one 10-minute video-based exercise session.
Participants will follow an instructor displayed on a two-dimensional screen without using a virtual reality headset.
The exercise content will correspond to the serious virtual reality exergaming condition but will not include virtual reality interaction or game-related elements.
This intervention will serve as the active comparison condition.
|
What is the study measuring?
Primary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Resting and Mean Exercise Heart Rate
Time Frame: During each of the three experimental sessions: during the 3-minute pre-intervention rest period and continuously throughout the 10-minute intervention
|
Heart rate will be continuously recorded in beats per minute (bpm) using a Polar H10 chest-strap sensor.
For each experimental condition, resting heart rate will be defined as the mean heart rate recorded during the 3-minute rest period immediately before the intervention.
Mean exercise heart rate will be defined as the mean heart rate recorded throughout the 10-minute exercise session.
The effects of the intervention conditions on heart rate will be evaluated by comparing resting and mean exercise heart rate values across the gamified virtual reality exergaming, serious virtual reality exergaming, and traditional video exercise conditions.
|
During each of the three experimental sessions: during the 3-minute pre-intervention rest period and continuously throughout the 10-minute intervention
|
|
Change in Rating of Perceived Exertion
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Perceived exertion will be assessed using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale, which ranges from 6 (no exertion or very, very light exertion) to 20 (maximal exertion).
The outcome will be saved as the post-intervention score and the pre-intervention score for each condition.
A higher positive value indicates a greater increase in perceived exertion.
|
Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
|
Change in Felt Arousal Assessed With the Felt Arousal Scale
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Felt arousal will be assessed using the single-item Felt Arousal Scale, which ranges from 1 (low arousal) to 6 (high arousal).
The outcome will be saved as the post-intervention score and the pre-intervention score for each condition.
A higher positive value indicates a greater increase in felt arousal.
|
Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
|
Change in Affective Valence Assessed With the Feeling Scale
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Affective valence will be assessed using the single-item Feeling Scale.
The Feeling Scale measures current affective valence on an 11-point bipolar scale ranging from -5 (very bad; minimum possible score) to +5 (very good; maximum possible score).
Higher scores indicate more positive affective valence and a better outcome.
The scale will be administered immediately before and immediately after each intervention.
Pre-intervention and post-intervention scores will be retained as separate observations and analyzed across the three intervention conditions; no separate change score will be calculated.
|
Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Secondary Outcome Measures
Outcome Measure |
Measure Description |
Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
|
Positive and Negative Experience
Time Frame: Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Positive and negative experience will be assessed using the 12-item Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE).
The scale consists of six positive-experience items and six negative-experience items, each rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (never) to 5 (always).
Separate scores will be calculated for the positive experience subscale (SPANE-P) and the negative experience subscale (SPANE-N).
Each subscale score ranges from 6 to 30.
Higher SPANE-P scores indicate greater positive experience, whereas higher SPANE-N scores indicate greater negative experience.
The scale will be administered immediately before and immediately after each intervention, and pre- and post-intervention scores for both subscales will be compared across the three intervention conditions.
|
Immediately before and immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
|
Flow State
Time Frame: Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Flow state will be assessed using the nine-item state version of the Short Flow State Scale-2.
The scale evaluates dimensions of the immediate flow experience, including challenge-skill balance, action-awareness merging, clear goals, unambiguous feedback, concentration, sense of control, loss of self-consciousness, transformation of time, and autotelic experience.
Each item is rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (do not agree at all) to 5 (completely agree).
Higher total scores indicate a more intense flow experience.
|
Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
|
Activity Satisfaction
Time Frame: Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Activity satisfaction will be assessed using the three-item Activity Satisfaction Scale.
Each item is rated on a 7-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (completely agree).
Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction with the exercise activity completed during the experimental session.
|
Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
|
System Usability
Time Frame: Immediately after each of the two 10-minute virtual reality interventions: GVRE and SVRE
|
Perceived system usability will be assessed using the 10-item System Usability Scale.
Each item is rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
The scale evaluates participants' perceptions of the effectiveness, efficiency, ease of use, and overall usability of the virtual reality system.
Higher scores indicate better perceived system usability.
|
Immediately after each of the two 10-minute virtual reality interventions: GVRE and SVRE
|
|
Virtual Reality Discomfort
Time Frame: Immediately after each of the two 10-minute virtual reality interventions: GVRE and SVRE
|
Virtual reality-related discomfort will be assessed using the nine-item Virtual Reality Discomfort Scale.
The scale evaluates two dimensions of discomfort: oculomotor symptoms, such as eye strain and blurred vision, and disorientation symptoms, such as dizziness and nausea.
Each item is rated on a 4-point scale from 0 (none) to 3 (severe).
Higher scores indicate greater virtual reality-related discomfort.
|
Immediately after each of the two 10-minute virtual reality interventions: GVRE and SVRE
|
|
Exercise Enjoyment
Time Frame: Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Exercise enjoyment will be assessed using the eight-item Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES-8).
Each of the eight bipolar items is scored from 1 to 7 in the direction of greater enjoyment.
The item scores are summed to produce a total score ranging from 8 (minimum possible score) to 56 (maximum possible score).
Higher total scores indicate greater exercise enjoyment and a better outcome.
The scale will be administered immediately after each intervention.
|
Immediately after each 10-minute intervention during each of the three experimental sessions
|
Collaborators and Investigators
This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.
Sponsor
Investigators
- Study Director: Tennur Yerlisu Lapa, PhD, Akdeniz University
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 (Actual)
July 29, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 30, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
December 30, 2026
Study Registration Dates
First Submitted
August 1, 2026
First Submitted That Met QC Criteria
August 1, 2026
First Posted (Actual)
August 6, 2026
Study Record Updates
Last Update Posted (Actual)
September 14, 2026
Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria
September 11, 2026
Last Verified
September 1, 2026
More Information
Terms related to this study
Other Study ID Numbers
- 1456730.03.60
- 325K759 (Other Grant/Funding Number: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye)
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
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