Investigation of the Effect of Virtual Reality Assisted Exercise Program on Physical Parameters in Hockey Players (VRHOCKEY)

Hitit University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Motor Learning; Ankle Dorsiflexion; Virtual Reality Based Therapy; Agility

Treatments: Device: Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07379346

Amasya Uni-E.10568

Details and patient eligibility

About

This single-blind randomized controlled trial investigates the effects of a virtual reality-assisted exercise program added to routine hockey training on balance, functional ankle dorsiflexion, agility, and shooting performance in youth hockey players. Participants are randomly assigned to either routine training alone or routine training plus a 6-week virtual reality-assisted exercise intervention delivered via the Nintendo Wii Balance Board. Outcomes are assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and at 3-week follow-up by a blinded assessor.

Full description

This study is designed as a single-blind randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a virtual reality-assisted exercise program on balance, functional ankle dorsiflexion, agility, and shooting performance in youth hockey players. Participants are recruited from a competitive hockey team and randomly assigned to either a control group or an intervention group.

The control group continues routine hockey training, including warm-up exercises, passing drills, offense-defense organization, and penalty-corner practices, three days per week. The intervention group continues the same routine training and additionally participates in a virtual reality-assisted exercise program delivered via the Nintendo Wii Balance Board. The virtual reality intervention includes Obstacle Course, Ski Slalom, and NFL Slapshot games and is administered for 30 minutes per session, three sessions per week, over a 6-week period.

Outcome measures include dynamic balance assessed by the Y Balance Test, agility assessed by the T-run agility test, functional ankle dorsiflexion assessed by the weight-bearing lunge test, and shooting performance assessed using a standardized target-based shooting accuracy protocol. All outcomes are assessed at baseline, immediately after the 6-week intervention period, and at a 3-week follow-up. Outcome assessments are performed by a physiotherapist who is blinded to group allocation.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Youth hockey players affiliated with a competitive hockey team
• Aged between 16 and 25 years
• Regular participation in routine hockey training
• Voluntary participation with written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Presence of an injury preventing participation in routine hockey training
• Presence of visual or neurological conditions that may interfere with virtual reality-assisted exercises
• Failure to attend the virtual reality-assisted exercise program for more than two consecutive sessions

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Routine Hockey Training (Control)

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants continue routine hockey training (warm-up, passing drills, offense-defense organization, penalty-corner practices) 3 days/week.

Routine Training + VR-Assisted Exercise

Experimental group

Description:

Participants continue routine hockey training and additionally perform virtual reality-assisted exercises using the Nintendo Wii Balance Board, 30 minutes/session, 3 sessions/week, for 6 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming