{"title":"Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Tennis Training on Balance in Older Adults.","authors":"Tian Yue, Xingyu Yan, Yanxin Lv, Xiping Ren, Shibin Zhang, Fengxue Qi","doi":"10.1159/000547548","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Decline in balance is a major risk factor for falls among older adults. Virtual reality (VR)-based training can enhance neural activation and sensorimotor integration, offering a promising approach for improving balance in older adults. However, the effects of immersive VR-based tennis training on balance in older adults remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of immersive VR-based tennis training on static and dynamic balance in older adults and to evaluate the retention of these effects 1 week after detraining.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-eight healthy older adults were randomly assigned to either a VR-based tennis training group (EXP, n = 20) or a VR-based documentary viewing control group (CON, n = 18). Both groups participated in three weekly sessions for 4 weeks. Static balance was assessed using the one-legged stance test (OLST) and Romberg test (RBT), while dynamic balance was evaluated through the balance beam walking test (BBWT), timed up and go test (TUG), and Fukuda stepping test (FST). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), after the intervention (T1), and 1 week after detraining (T2).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The EXP group showed significant improvements in OLST with the dominant leg and in RBT at T1 and T2 compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Within the EXP group, performance on OLST, RBT, and BBWT improved at T1 and T2 compared to T0 (p < 0.05), along with a significant decrease in TUG completion time at T2 compared to T0 (p = 0.011). No significant effects were observed in the FST (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Four weeks of immersive VR-based tennis training effectively improved static balance in older adults, with benefits lasting for at least 1 week after detraining. These findings suggest that VR-based sports simulations may serve as an engaging and effective balance training method, particularly in addressing static balance impairments.</p>","PeriodicalId":12662,"journal":{"name":"Gerontology","volume":" ","pages":"861-871"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Gerontology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000547548","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/7/22 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Decline in balance is a major risk factor for falls among older adults. Virtual reality (VR)-based training can enhance neural activation and sensorimotor integration, offering a promising approach for improving balance in older adults. However, the effects of immersive VR-based tennis training on balance in older adults remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of immersive VR-based tennis training on static and dynamic balance in older adults and to evaluate the retention of these effects 1 week after detraining.
Methods: Thirty-eight healthy older adults were randomly assigned to either a VR-based tennis training group (EXP, n = 20) or a VR-based documentary viewing control group (CON, n = 18). Both groups participated in three weekly sessions for 4 weeks. Static balance was assessed using the one-legged stance test (OLST) and Romberg test (RBT), while dynamic balance was evaluated through the balance beam walking test (BBWT), timed up and go test (TUG), and Fukuda stepping test (FST). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0), after the intervention (T1), and 1 week after detraining (T2).
Results: The EXP group showed significant improvements in OLST with the dominant leg and in RBT at T1 and T2 compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). Within the EXP group, performance on OLST, RBT, and BBWT improved at T1 and T2 compared to T0 (p < 0.05), along with a significant decrease in TUG completion time at T2 compared to T0 (p = 0.011). No significant effects were observed in the FST (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Four weeks of immersive VR-based tennis training effectively improved static balance in older adults, with benefits lasting for at least 1 week after detraining. These findings suggest that VR-based sports simulations may serve as an engaging and effective balance training method, particularly in addressing static balance impairments.
期刊介绍：
In view of the ever-increasing fraction of elderly people, understanding the mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases has become a matter of urgent necessity. ''Gerontology'', the oldest journal in the field, responds to this need by drawing topical contributions from multiple disciplines to support the fundamental goals of extending active life and enhancing its quality. The range of papers is classified into four sections. In the Clinical Section, the aetiology, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of agerelated diseases are discussed from a gerontological rather than a geriatric viewpoint. The Experimental Section contains up-to-date contributions from basic gerontological research. Papers dealing with behavioural development and related topics are placed in the Behavioural Science Section. Basic aspects of regeneration in different experimental biological systems as well as in the context of medical applications are dealt with in a special section that also contains information on technological advances for the elderly. Providing a primary source of high-quality papers covering all aspects of aging in humans and animals, ''Gerontology'' serves as an ideal information tool for all readers interested in the topic of aging from a broad perspective.
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