Virtual Reality Based TherapyVRHOCKEYNCT07379346
Investigation of the Effect of Virtual Reality Assisted Exercise Program on Physical Parameters in Hockey Players
A study testing Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming in people with Virtual Reality Based Therapy and Ankle Dorsiflexion, run by Hitit University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 25 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Virtual Reality Based Therapy, Ankle Dorsiflexion, Motor Learning
- What is being tested?
- Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2020to 30 Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 to 25 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- 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
Who cannot join
- 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 locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Investigation of the Effect of Virtual Reality Assisted Exercise Program on Physical Parameters in Hockey Players: Single Blinded Randomize Controlled Trial
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.
Read the detailed 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.
- Being tested
- Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming
- Keywords
- Assistive Technology, Balance Control, Motor Learning, Sensorimotor Integration, Virtual Reality
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Nintendo Wii Balance Board ExergamingDevice
Obstacle Course, Ski Slalom, and NFL Slapshot; 30 minutes/session; 3 sessions/week; 6 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Hockey Training (Control) | No intervention | Participants continue routine hockey training (warm-up, passing drills, offense-defense organization, penalty-corner practices) 3 days/week. |
| Routine Training + VR-Assisted Exercise | Experimental | 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. Receives: Device: Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Shooting Performance
Shooting performance is assessed using a standardized target-based shooting accuracy protocol. Participants perform drag-flick shots toward predefined target zones, and total hit scores are recorded. Higher scores indicate better shooting accuracy.
Measured: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Secondary outcomes (3)
Dynamic Balance (Y Balance Test)
Dynamic balance is evaluated using the Y Balance Test. Normalized reach distances are recorded for each limb.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Functional Ankle Dorsiflexion (Weight-Bearing Lunge Test)
Functional ankle dorsiflexion is assessed using the weight-bearing lunge test, with dorsiflexion angle measured for both ankles.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Agility (T-run Agility Test)
Agility is assessed using the T-run agility test, with performance recorded as completion time in seconds.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted30 Jan 2026
- Study start1 Jan 2020
- Primary completion31 Dec 2023
- Study completion30 Nov 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Virtual Reality Based TherapyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups. The control group continues routine hockey training only, while the intervention group continues routine training and additionally receives a virtual reality-assisted exercise program. Group allocation remains fixed throughout the study, and outcomes are compared between groups across three assessment time points (baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up).
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hitit University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ertugrul Deniz Kose, Amasya University
- Investigators
- Ertuğrul Deniz KÖSE, Ph.D, Principal investigator, Amasya University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07379346
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Amasya Uni-E.10568
- Acronym
- VRHOCKEY
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 23 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 3 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in this study will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, following publication. Requests will be reviewed to ensure appropriate use and compliance with ethical approvals.
Publications
Polikanova I, et al. Virtual reality training improves balance and agility in athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2021;39(4):456-464. Laufer Y, et al. The effect of virtual reality-based training on postural control. Gait & Posture. 2014;40(2):285-291. Schmitt KU, et al. Balance and sensorimotor training in sports performance. Sports Medicine. 2019;49(3):421-435.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation of the Effect of Virtual Reality Assisted Exercise Program on Physical Parameters in Hockey Players: Single Blinded Randomize Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07379346
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VRHOCKEY / Amasya Uni-E.10568
- Keywords
- Assistive Technology, Balance Control, Motor Learning, Sensorimotor Integration, Virtual Reality
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hitit UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 30 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
Detailed 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.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants are randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups. The control group continues routine hockey training only, while the intervention group continues routine training and additionally receives a virtual reality-assisted exercise program. Group allocation remains fixed throughout the study, and outcomes are compared between groups across three assessment time points (baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Routine Hockey Training (Control) | No intervention | –Participants continue routine hockey training (warm-up, passing drills, offense-defense organization, penalty-corner practices) 3 days/week. |
| Routine Training + VR-Assisted Exercise | Experimental | Device: Nintendo Wii Balance Board ExergamingParticipants 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo Wii Balance Board ExergamingObstacle Course, Ski Slalom, and NFL Slapshot; 30 minutes/session; 3 sessions/week; 6 weeks. | Device | Routine Training + VR-Assisted Exercise |
Primary outcome
Shooting Performance
Time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Shooting performance is assessed using a standardized target-based shooting accuracy protocol. Participants perform drag-flick shots toward predefined target zones, and total hit scores are recorded. Higher scores indicate better shooting accuracy.
3 secondary outcomes
Dynamic Balance (Y Balance Test)
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Functional Ankle Dorsiflexion (Weight-Bearing Lunge Test)
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Agility (T-run Agility Test)
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Feb 2026.
- BackgroundPolikanova I, et al. Virtual reality training improves balance and agility in athletes. Journal of Sports Sciences. 2021;39(4):456-464. Laufer Y, et al. The effect of virtual reality-based training on postural control. Gait & Posture. 2014;40(2):285-291. Schmitt KU, et al. Balance and sensorimotor training in sports performance. Sports Medicine. 2019;49(3):421-435.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified individual participant data underlying the results reported in this study will be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request, following publication. Requests will be reviewed to ensure appropriate use and compliance with ethical approvals.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Ertuğrul Deniz KÖSE, Ph.D principal investigator
Amasya University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Nintendo Wii Balance Board Exergaming in people with Virtual Reality Based Therapy and Ankle Dorsiflexion, run by Hitit University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Shooting Performance (time frame: Baseline, immediately post-intervention (6 weeks), and 3-week follow-up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07379346, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Feb 2026.