Impact of sensorimotor mismatch on virtual reality sickness and user experience: age-related differences in a randomized trial.
Elisabeth Jochmann, Thomas Jochmann, Maximilian Weber and 2 others
PMID 40611269WHAT IT FOUND
In healthy adults, deliberate sensorimotor mismatches in a seated VR ball-throwing task did not increase VR sickness compared to standard or errorless tasks.
However, the mismatch condition caused significantly more frustration and exhaustion. Older participants reported less sickness than younger ones. This suggests mismatched feedback is tolerable but may reduce user enjoyment.
Key findings
01Sensorimotor mismatches did not significantly increase VR sickness scores compared to error-based or errorless conditions.
02Participants in the mismatch group reported significantly higher frustration and exhaustion than those in the errorless group.
03Older age was associated with lower total VR sickness scores, contrary to the hypothesis that older adults are more susceptible.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only healthy adults without motor impairments or neurological conditions, so results may not generalize to clinical rehabilitation populations. The VR task was short (10 minutes) and seated, with no visual-vestibular conflict (no optic flow or head movement), which minimizes the risk of sickness compared to more immersive or standing VR tasks. The sample size was powered for a different primary outcome (motor learning) in the original study, not specifically for VR sickness. User experience was measured with a custom questionnaire that has not been widely validated. All participants had normal vision and no known neurological disorders, excluding those who might be more susceptible to VR side effects.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing interests. The study was supported by internal university funding (Friedrich Schiller University Jena).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that VR sickness will remain low in more dynamic or immersive tasks. This study used a seated, static VR environment with no visual-vestibular conflict. Real-world rehabilitation often involves standing, walking, or moving through virtual spaces, which can trigger stronger sickness responses. Additionally, the increased frustration in the mismatch group suggests that while physically tolerable, these tasks may be psychologically aversive, potentially harming patient adherence.