Falling into Fears: Exploring Virtual Reality as a Fear-Reduction Training Tool for Climbers

Fear of falling limits climbers’ performance and progression, particularly for beginners who must develop trust in their safety equipment and falling techniques. Traditional methods of overcoming this fear through repeated practice are time-consuming and stressful. In this paper, we explore the potential of using Virtual Reality (VR) to assist climbers’ training. We conducted an exploratory experiment in which 20 climbers performed multiple falls from a height of 5 meters both with and without a VR headset, experiencing 1-2 meters of free fall. We collected qualitative data through interviews conducted before, after, and following each fall. Our findings suggest that VR is a promising tool for reducing the fear of falling, though the exact mechanisms and effectiveness require further investigation through longitudinal studies. This study opens new possibilities for using VR as a training tool in climbing education, potentially accelerating the process of overcoming the fear of falling.