Virtual reality exercise platforms and the possibility for novel, engaging research in sport, exercise and health

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented closures of research laboratories worldwide, including those of sport and exercise science. This situation presented significant challenges for athletes, training for their sport (Washif et al., 2022), and for researchers in conducting experiments reliant on clinical and human laboratory-based testing (Sohrabi et al., 2021). However, sport practice as well as sport science research did not completely cease over that period. It certainly slowed, yet innovation occurred, presenting opportunities and leading to some intriguing new possibilities. Our ingenious community of researchers and sports practitioners utilised alternative methods to continue their research and sports activities outside the conventional laboratory (Stenson et al., 2022). One of these alternative methods has been the use of virtual reality (VR) software technology coupled with exercise equipment such as a cycle ergometer as a means of connecting individuals remotely, and in some cases, to conduct empirical research that might otherwise have been conducted in a laboratory (Matta et al., 2022).

Traditional sport and exercise laboratory intervention studies can have limitations of application to practical sports situations due to factors such as low participant numbers, time constraints, geographic location, an overly sterile environment, accessibility, high-cost facilities, and general access to resources. VR software offers a potential solution to some of these challenges by providing an engaging and accessible tool, potentially also widening the pool of participants to a worldwide community. Additionally, as VR software can be used by researchers to conduct research outside of a laboratory, it allows investigation of novel topics related to competition, multiple athlete interactions, complex race simulations and different applied experimental scenarios in a structured, controlled way. This offers considerable potential for hybrid lab/remote research methodologies that could extend our understanding and form an important bridge of ecological validity across laboratory and field work, thus bringing more geographic diversity into sport and exercise science research. Diversity brings strength and greater application to research and yet currently, there is only 6.5% representation of non-Western, non-high-income minorities in sport and rehabilitation science (Memon et al., 2022). This is a situation potentially improved through VR applications, enabling enrolment of research participants from all over the world.

The use of VR technology for remote studies has several benefits. For example, it enables researchers to manipulate and control the competitive situation within certain constraints. This includes standardization or deliberate variation of environmental conditions, and also providing multiple participants with real-time feedback simultaneously without the limitations of physical space in a laboratory. By using VR software, researchers can create realistic exercise scenarios that mimic real-world conditions, including competitive environments in which controlled scenarios can be offered to explore interactions with a competitor (e.g. Konings et al., 2016). Such research therefore increases our understanding of the human-environment interactions, essential to sport and competition that impact regulation of exercise intensity and exercise motivation (Hettinga et al., 2017).

VR software also has the potential to better connect laboratory and applied field work. Traditionally, sport and exercise science research has been conducted in a laboratory setting, where conditions can be carefully controlled and monitored. Research using VR software platforms can be used either in or outside of the laboratory, but however used, it can be a useful technique to connect with wider populations and in simulated environments closer to competitive, real-worldsituations. It also has potential to better engage exercisers, such as through promoting physical activity and improving health outcomes, particularly among rural and remote communities around the world. Several studies have already examined the effectiveness of VR software for promoting exercise and improving health outcomes. For example, a study by Kim et al., (2013) found that using unsupervised VR software led to improvements in muscle strength and balance. Another study found that VR software improved high intensity interval training (Farrow et al., 2019).

To be able to confidently apply remote experimental designs, it is of crucial importance to study the reliability of such set ups, including the use of exercise equipment outside of the laboratory. A recent study from our group investigated the reproducibility of cycling time trial performance undertaken remotely where exercisers were connected to the experimenters via the software (Matta et al., 2022). The reproducibility of outcomes from the trials was shown to be of a similar level to that experienced in a controlled laboratory, certainly on an intra-individual basis (∼3.7%). The software platform (Zwift) used in that study has over 3 million registered users from over 190 countries (e.g., McIlroy et al., 2021), further demonstrating its reach. Being able to draw on and access such a large and diverse pool of participants means that experiments can now be conceptualised in different ways and offer new insights than those of more traditional methodologies.

One such intriguing methodological consideration that may differentiate between traditional laboratory and remote VR exercise trials is the role of the experimenter. It is well-known that an experimenter effect exists in human exercise trials, whereby the presence of an experimenter or observer providing encouragement improves performance across both aerobic and anaerobic performances (Edwards et al., 2018). The experimenter effect can take many forms, including subtle cues given by the experimenter, non-verbal communication, or even unintentional facial expressions. These cues can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the participant behaves or performs in a way that conforms to the expectations of the experimenter. In the context of sport and exercise science research, the experimenter effect could, for example, manifest as the participants feeling motivated to perform better when the experimenter is present due to the perceived importance of the study. Several other studies have examined the experimenter effect in exercise science research. For example, a study conducted by Markus (1978) found the presence of an experimenter in the room led to an improved performance of study participants on a simple motor task. Similarly, a study by Sheridan et al., (2018)) found participants performed better on a cycling test when they believed the experimenter was monitoring their performance. Further to this, social support can also trigger neurobiological pathways to enhance sports performance as a form of placebo effect (Davis et al., 2020). These observations could have important implications for the interpretation of exercise science research outcomes. If the presence of the experimenter in the room leads to skewed results, it may be difficult to draw accurate conclusions from the research findings.

In conclusion, there are many fascinating opportunities consequent to methodological adaptations that were catalysed during the COVID-19 pandemic. VR software presents ways to explore strategies that could better engage a wide community of exercisers. The research outcomes of new, empirical remote experiments may also facilitate the utilization of novel methodological designs due to their potential to reach a wider, larger pool of participants thus enabling us to examine research questions in different and more diverse ways than has previously been possible. Clearly, laboratory studies remain vital and provide a regulated environment, avoiding issues of possible contamination in a remote setting, with poorly calibrated equipment and so on. However, where reproducibility and quality parameters are satisfied, it perhaps should not be discounted that remote exercise trials may be the bridge between laboratory studies and real-world field studies, even bringing the laboratory into the home. Intriguing opportunities exist and we have reason for positivity in looking forward to new, novel designs across the spectrum of sport, exercise and performance applications.