Acute Effects of Virtual Reality Training on Dynamic Balance in Individuals with Chronic Ankle Instability

OBJECTIVES Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) demonstrate mechanical and sensorimotor impairments that may contribute to deficits in dynamic postural control. Virtual reality (VR) provides dynamic visual perturbations that may challenge sensorimotor control; however, little is known about its acute effects in individuals with CAI. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine acute changes in dynamic postural control following a single session of VR training in individuals with CAI.METHODS Twenty physically active individuals with CAI (11 males, 9 females; age = 21.3 ± 1.7 years) participated. Dynamic postural control was assessed before and immediately after VR training using the Y-Balance test (YBT) in the anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM), and posterolateral (PL) directions. VR training included single-leg stance, double- and single-leg drop landings, and drop landing/cutting tasks under a 360° dynamic visual environment. Paired-samples t-tests with Bonferroni correction compared pre- and post-training outcomes.RESULTS ANT reach distance did not significantly change following VR training (61.6 ± 7.5% vs 62.4 ± 7.2%; <i>p</i> = 0.128). In contrast, PL (101.1 ± 10.2% vs 105.6 ± 11.5%; <i>p</i> = 0.002) and PM (106.2 ± 9.4% vs 109.4 ± 9.3%; <i>p</i> = 0.005) reach distances significantly increased following VR training.CONCLUSIONS Improvements in PM and PL dynamic postural control, but not ANT reach, were observed following a single session of VR training in individuals with CAI. These findings suggest that VR may provide an additional approach to target sensorimotor components of dynamic postural control. Future controlled studies should determine the effects of VR-based rehabilitation in individuals with CAI.