ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06811402OVERMUSCLEDUpdated Nov 3, 2026

Combinaison of Virtual Reality and Rehabilitation to Improve Muscle Function, Exercise Tolerance, Exertional Symptoms and Dyspnea in Patients With Chronic Respiratory Disease: a Randomized Cross-over Trial

An interventional study of virtual reality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, sponsored by Fondation Hôpital Saint-Joseph. Recruiting at 1 site in France. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-03.

Sponsored by Fondation Hôpital Saint-Joseph · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care

Updated Nov 3, 2026Now RecruitingSite recruiting status changed+3 moreGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
26
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Chronic respiratory diseases, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), are a leading cause of death globally. These diseases not only contribute significantly to mortality but also lead to a decline in physical capacity, limiting daily activities and perpetuating a vicious cycle of deconditioning. Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is a major symptom, seen in 56 to 98% of COPD patients, and is linked to decreased exercise tolerance and muscle dysfunction. It often leads to reduced physical activity, further worsening respiratory function and quality of life. Dyspnea severity is associated with increased mortality, hospitalizations, and anxiety. The main therapeutic approach for these patients is pulmonary rehabilitation, which improves exercise tolerance, quality of life, and reduces hospitalizations and exacerbations. However, dyspnea limits exercise and is often a barrier to continued physical activity.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown promise in managing symptoms like pain, anxiety, and dyspnea by providing a distraction. Studies suggest that VR can improve dyspnea and anxiety, particularly in patients hospitalized for conditions like COVID-19. However, research on VR's immediate effects on exercise capacity is limited, with most studies focusing on non-immersive exergames rather than immersive VR. The potential of VR to improve exercise tolerance in patients with chronic respiratory diseases remains uncertain. Our study aims to test this hypothesis through a randomized crossover trial to assess VR's impact on dyspnea and exercise tolerance in these patients.

02

Conditions studied

  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
03

In context

Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

5,520 studies on the registry are indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; 856 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 26 is below the median of 62 across 3,839 interventional studies indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive.

Browse Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive studies →

Lead sponsor

Fondation Hôpital Saint-Joseph is the lead sponsor of 346 studies on the registry; 51 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Patient aged 18 years or older
  • Patient with a chronic respiratory disease requiring pulmonary rehabilitation
  • Patient with dyspnea assessed as mMRC ≥ 0 (Annex 3)
  • Patient undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation at the Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital
  • Patient affiliated with a health insurance plan
  • French-speaking patient
  • Patient who has provided informed, explicit, and voluntary oral consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • for an endurance reconditioning program (neurodegenerative diseases, severe neurological deficits, unstable cardiovascular diseases)
  • History of motion sickness, vertigo, vestibular impairment, labyrinthitis
  • History of seizures or other neurological or psychiatric comorbidities
  • Severe visual impairments
  • Patient already included in a Type 1 interventional research protocol (RIPH1)
  • Patient under guardianship or curatorship
  • Patient deprived of liberty
  • Patient under legal protection
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding patient
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
26 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • No intervention
    Control

    Patient will undergo the rehabilitation session as the usual without the virtual reality mask.

  • Experimental
    VR

    the patient will undergo the rehabilitation session with a virtual reality mask

    Other: virtual reality

Interventions

  • Othervirtual reality

    the patient will wear a VR mask during the session

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Effort duration

    Compare the total duration of effort during a constant-load test on a cycle ergometer between rehabilitation with VR immersion and rehabilitation alone. Total duration of sustained effort during a constant-load test (in seconds)."

    Time frame: twice a week during up to 4 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedDate before it movedWhere the date was before it movedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Oct 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Apr 2027, 6 months after the start.

Of 1,094 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, half reached primary completion within 22 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 41. This study's planned 6 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 1,181 studies reached it within 22 months; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 39.

Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Nov 3, 2026: start Sep 2026 → Oct 2026, primary completion Mar 2027 → Apr 2027 and completion Mar 2027 → Apr 2027.

Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jan 30, 2025
First posted
Feb 6, 2025
StartActual
Oct 14, 2026was Sep 2026
Primary completionEst.
Apr 2027was Mar 2027
CompletionEst.
Apr 2027was Mar 2027
Last update
Nov 3, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Status
Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
changed Nov 3, 2026
Sites
Hôpital Paris Saint Joseph is now Recruiting
Nov 3, 2026
Start date
Sep 1, 2026→Oct 14, 2026 (actual)
Nov 3, 2026
Primary completion
Mar 31, 2027→Apr 2027
Nov 3, 2026
Study completion
Mar 31, 2027→Apr 2027
Nov 3, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 3, 2026
    Not yet recruiting→Recruiting
    Hôpital Paris Saint Joseph is now Recruiting
    Start date Sep 1, 2026→Oct 14, 2026 (now actual)
    Primary completion Mar 31, 2027→Apr 2027
    Study completion Mar 31, 2027→Apr 2027
    + 1 other change: verification date

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06811402
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Feb 6, 2025
Start date
Oct 14, 2026
Primary completion
Apr 2027 (estimated)
Completion
Apr 2027 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 3, 2026

Study contacts

Johan Wormser
Contact
jwormser@ghpsj.fr
0144123085

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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