Study finds virtual reality reduces leg muscle pain during high intensity cycling
According to a new study by University of Georgia researchers, high intensity cycling is less painful when combined with virtual reality.
“This experiment is an important first step in the future of combining exercise and virtual reality,” said Carly Wender, a doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology who authored the study. “With continued exploration, this combination may increase adherence to and effectiveness of physical activity for healthy individuals, as well as for those with various hinderances to physical activity.”
The study found that quadriceps pain intensity in participants who used interactive VR during their cycling was 12-13% lower during the second and third sprints compared to participants in the non-interactive group. Cycling performance was the same in each condition, indicating that pain relief was not a side effect of reduced cycling performance for those engaging in interactive virtual reality.
Pat O’Connor, professor of exercise science and co-director of UGA’s Exercise Psychology Lab, and Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn, associate professor of advertising and founding director of the Games and Virtual Environments Lab in Grady College, served as co-authors of the study.