Abstract:

Objective To explore the impact of different types of virtual reality environments balance exercise on human balance and posture control.

Methods From March to April, 2022, 30 male students from Dalian University of Technology were recruited to accept VR balance training of dynamic background (dynamic VR training) and static background (static VR training), respectively, with an interval of one week. They were measured the average moving speed of the center of pressure of human body under eight conditions before and after training, namely open-eye floor standing, close-eye floor standing, static VR background floor standing, dynamic VR background floor standing, open-eye sponge pad standing, close-eye sponge pad standing, static VR background sponge pad standing, and dynamic VR background sponge pad standing. Meanwhile, the weight of human body sensation was calculated.

Results Before training, the average movement speed of center of pressure was higher under the static VR than under open-eye (|t| > 2.811, P < 0.01), and lower than under close-eye (t > 3.279, P < 0.01) on both planes; while it was higher under dynamic VR than under close-eye (|t| > 4.830, P < 0.001). After dynamic VR training, the average movement speed of center of pressure increased under open-eye stable floor standing (t = 2.305, P < 0.05), decreased under close-eye on both planes (t > 3.405, P < 0.01), and decreased under static and dynamic VR on both planes (|t| > 3.285, P < 0.01). After static VR training, the average movement speed of center of pressure increased under open-eye floor standing (t = 2.224, P < 0.05), decreased under close-eye sponge pad standing (t = 2.223, P < 0.05), and decreased under dynamic VR on both planes (|t| > 2.380, P < 0.05). The weight of vision decreased after training (t > 4.132, P < 0.001), and the visual weight under normal proprioception was less after dynamic VR training than after static VR training (t = 3.611, P < 0.01).

Conclusion Under static VR background, the balance stability is poorer than under open-eye, but stronger than under close-eye. Under dynamic VR background, the balance stability is poorer under close-eye. VR balance training may decrease the stability without interference, but improve the stability under interference, which may result from reducing the dependence on visual sensation and strengthening the use of vestibular sensation, especially after VR training with dynamic background.

Key words: posture control, balance, virtual reality, sensory weight