Verywell / Nez Riaz
Key Takeaways
Thebenefits of physical exerciseare long-known and far-reaching.
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What the Research Says
Over 50 volunteers in Japan took part in this recent study.
Verywell / Nez Riaz
Before each of their two sessions, the participants answered questions about feelings of stress and anxiety.
Individuals then took part in an immersivevirtual reality(IVR) exercise training.
After the session, participants completed another questionnaire and had their stress levels monitored again.
Erin Bloodworth, ACSM-EP
The results are of relevance due to their potential clinical implications.
Anxiety is one of the most frequently reported symptoms among the general population.
Its interesting to note that the decreased anxiety levels happened when the study participants watched their own avatar exercise.
When they watched another virtual body run, there were different results.
Virtual Reality Benefits and Drawbacks
Virtual reality (VR) is a steadily growing technology.
There are over 171 million VR users worldwide.
Most people are likely familiar with using virtual reality for video games.
However, its also used in the education, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors.
As this study shows, VR is useful in the health and wellness arena.
The latest findings build upon other research focused on using VR exercise experiences.
Similarly, this latest study found movement-related benefits without the necessity of being in motion.
That key in of utility could benefit people for whom movement is a challenge.
But there are concerns with the experience.
There could be several drawbacks to simulated, immersive, virtual movement.
And unfortunately, you dont build upon proper exercise techniques.
Cost is another consideration.
VR equipment might be costly; going for a walk is free, Bloodworth says.
Is It for You?
IVR brings an interesting dimension to exercise.
It sounds fun and is even beneficial.
But is it for you?
Indeed, something is better than nothing, but its important to put it in perspective.
What This Means For You
Immersive virtual reality exercise is a mentally engaging way to keep active.
While more research is needed, the practice may be beneficial and worth exploring if movement is an issue.
It is not meant, however, to be a replacement for getting up and moving your body.
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Park S, Lee G.Full-immersion virtual reality: Adverse effects related to static balance.Neuroscience Letters.
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