This review explores the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) for muscle strength training. Muscle strength is crucial for overall health, but traditional strength training can be repetitive and demotivating, leading to inconsistent adherence. The need for new, engaging methods has sparked interest in using technologies like VR and AR, but there is limited research directly comparing immersive tools with conventional training methods. Addressing this gap is essential to understanding how these technologies might enhance long-term health outcomes. This review analyzes 38 studies on VR (3DoF or 6DoF) and AR (head-mounted or handheld) exergames published up to the end of 2025. The analysis focuses on gamification, activity types, technology, and training methods. We found that VR and AR exergames often reported increased engagement, particularly using task-oriented activities, realistic simulations, and virtual coaching. Most included studies focused on VR, while AR-based applications were much less common, suggesting that AR for strength training remains underexplored and warrants further investigation. In addition, most systems emphasized bodyweight-based exercise rather than external resistance training, and many studies relied on simple physiological measures such as heart rate, which may not adequately capture actual strength-training effects. Methodologically, studies often focus on short-term interventions with small, homogeneous sample sizes, neglecting long-term effects and diverse populations. Future research should address these gaps through interdisciplinary collaboration, incorporating personalized goals, social interactions, advanced physiological monitoring, and different needs of distinct groups to enhance both the effectiveness and appeal of VR/AR strength training games.
Wang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.