Posturography with virtual reality stimulations in normal young adults with no balance complaints.

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the findings of posturography with virtual reality stimuli carried out in young healthy adults with no otoneurological complaints, based on the parameters center of pressure, limit of stability and sway speed for different visual stimuli, and regarding differences between female and male genders.

Methods: Participants were 50 healthy individuals of both genders (50% female and 50% male) with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years (mean age 21.30 years), with no complaints regarding body balance, and with vestibular outcomes assessed through digital vectonistagmography within normal limits. Posturography was composed of 11 visual stimuli and determined the limit of stability area (LOS), the ellipse area, and the sway speed in ten sensorial conditions. Results were calculated for the studied age range and analyzed according to the values for each stimulus, with the aim to obtain normality parameters.

Results: The average values obtained in posturography regarding limit of stability, ellipse area and sway speed for stimuli with viso-vestibular interaction presented significant differences between genders, and, in all cases, women obtained lower values than men.

Conclusion: The findings of posturography with virtual reality stimuli in healthy young adults evidence that the parameters center of pressure, limit of stability and sway speed present differences between genders and, therefore, must be considered separately.