Effect of Virtual Reality Training on Sport Performance in Amateur Football Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundFootball performance relies on perceptual-motor abilities such as reaction time, speed, fatigue resistance, and skill execution.Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a training tool that provides immersive, sportspecific practice and may enhance these performance components.However, evidence regarding its effectiveness in adolescent amateur football players remains limited.

Objective: This study

Aims: to evaluate the effect of virtual reality training on sport performance in 10-18-year-old amateur football players.Methodology This randomized controlled trial included 30 amateur football players recruited from schools in Belagavi city, who were randomly allocated into experimental and control groups.Sport performance was assessed using reaction time (BlazePod), repeated sprint test (mean sprint time and fatigue index), and soccer wall volley test (passing accuracy) before and after a four-week intervention. ResultsBoth groups demonstrated improvements following the intervention, with within-group analysis showing significant improvements in reaction time and passing accuracy in both groups and greater gains in the experimental group.Between-group analysis revealed statistically significant differences in reaction time (p=0.017)and mean sprint time (p=0.009),favouring the experimental group, while no significant differences were observed in fatigue index and passing accuracy.

Conclusion: Both groups improved following training; however, the VR group demonstrated greater improvements in selected sport performance outcomes.These

Findings: support the use of VR as an adjunct training approach in adolescent amateur football players.