5G-Enabled Virtual Reality Platforms for Immersive Indoor Fitness: A Review of Latency, Bandwidth, and Human-Centered Performance Requirements

Abstract

This study presents a systematic literature review examining the integration of 5G technology with Virtual Reality (VR) platforms for immersive indoor fitness. While both technologies are advancing rapidly, their convergence in fitness contexts remains underexplored. The review synthesizes findings from 42 peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2025 to assess the technical performance requirements, user experience impacts, and scalability challenges of 5G-enabled VR fitness systems. Results indicate that latency below 20 milliseconds and bandwidth ranging from 100 Mbps to 10 Gbps are essential for safe, realistic, and responsive VR workouts. Network variability, particularly latency spikes and bandwidth drop, was found to significantly impair immersion, elevate physiological stress, and increase injury risk. Key challenges include signal degradation in indoor environments, high infrastructure costs, lack of standardized physiological metrics, and limited real-world validation. However, recent advancements such as edge computing, AI-driven adaptive rendering, and biometric integration show promise in addressing these limitations. Emerging technologies like mmWave haptics and neuroadaptive coaching further illustrate the potential for intelligent and personalized fitness experiences. The findings highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, standardized performance benchmarks, and user-centered design to fully realize the benefits of 5G-VR integration in the fitness domain.