Comparison of Subjective Response to Virtual Reality Exercise and Outdoor Exercise

ABSTRACT Virtual reality (VR) devices are becoming more immersive by providing platforms that allow people to control their experiences in more natural ways. As such, many opportunities are emerging to utilize VR products for physical activity. However, little research has been done to determine the difference between the subjective experience of physical activity in VR from that of a real-world environment. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine if any differences exist in individuals’ subjective response to walking outdoors compared to walking indoors on a VR treadmill. METHODS: After providing consent, 11 participants (5 female, 27.6 ± 11.5 years) completed an initial Subjective Experience Exercise Scale (SEES) assessment to determine baseline (PRE) subjective markers for positive well-being (PWB), psychological distress (PD), and fatigue (FAT). Participants then completed a self-paced 1/2 mile walk outdoors (ODW) and a similar indoor walk (VRW) on a VR treadmill (KAT Walk C2+, KAT VR) in a random order. During the VR walk, participants walked at their own pace for ~9 minutes while viewing a 360-degree video of the ODW with VR headset (HTC VIVE Pro Eye). Following each walk, participants completed a SEES assessment. With significance set at p < 0.05, paired T-tests were used to compare PRE with ODW and VRW, and ODW with VRW. RESULTS: PWB increased after ODW (p = 0.035) but decreased after VRW (p = 0.039) (PRE = 23.8 ± 3.8; ODW = 25.2 ± 3.4; VRW = 21.9 ± 4.8). PD decreased after ODW (p = 0.043) but not VRW (p = 0.102) (PRE = 5.6 ± 2.0; ODW = 4.7 ± 1.0; VRW = 6.6 ± 2.8). PWB was higher (p = 0.005), and PD was lower (p = 0.022) after ODW compared to VRW. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) observed for FAT (PRE = 8.2 ± 3.2; ODW = 7.8 ± 3.6; VRW = 8.1 ± 3.7). CONCLUSION: For novice users, walking on a VR treadmill may have a negative impact on PWB, whereas outdoor walking can improve an individual’s sense of PWB and reduce PD. These differences may change with more experience on the VR treadmill or with more immersive VR experiences.