Effects of wearing a head-mounted display during a standard clinical test of dynamic balance

Rania Almajid; Carole Tucker; Emily Keshner; Erin Vasudevan; William Geoffrey Wright

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.020

Effects of wearing a head-mounted display during a standard clinical test of dynamic balance

Gait Posture. 2021 Mar:85:78-83. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.020. Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Authors

Rania Almajid¹, Carole Tucker², Emily Keshner³, Erin Vasudevan⁴, William Geoffrey Wright⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy, West Coast University, 590 N Vssermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90004, USA; Department of Physical Therapy, Temple University, 1801 N Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA. Electronic address: ralmajid@westcoastuniversity.edu.
² Department of Physical Therapy, Temple University, 1801 N Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA. Electronic address: tuckerc@temple.edu.
³ Department of Physical Therapy, Temple University, 1801 N Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA. Electronic address: emily.keshner@temple.edu.
⁴ Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Health Technology and Management, Stony Brook University, 101 Nicolls Road, Health Sciences Center, Stony Brook, 11794, USA. Electronic address: erin.vasudevan@stonybrook.edu.
⁵ Department of Physical Therapy, Temple University, 1801 N Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Temple University 1801 N Broad St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA. Electronic address: wrightw@temple.edu.

PMID: 33517040
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.01.020

Abstract

Background: The use of virtual reality (VR) in clinical settings has increased with the introduction of affordable, easy-to-use head-mounted displays (HMDs). However, some have raised concerns about the effects that HMDs have on posture and locomotion, even without the projection of a virtual scene, which may be different across ages.

Research question: How does HMD wear impact the kinematic measures in younger and older adults?

Methods: Twelve healthy young and sixteen older adults participated in two testing conditions: 1) TUG with no HMD and 2) TUG with an HMD displaying a scene of the actual environment (TUG_HMD). The dependent variables were the pitch, yaw, and roll peak trunk velocities (PTVs) in each TUG component, turning cadence, and the time to complete the TUG and its components - SIT-TO-STAND, TURN, WALK, and STAND-TO-SIT.

Results: Wearing the HMD decreased turning cadence and pitch and yaw PTVs in all TUG components, decreased roll PTV in SIT-TO-STAND and TURN, and increased the time taken to complete all TUG components in all participants. Wearing the HMD decreased the pitch PTV in SIT-TO-STAND in older relative to younger adults. Wearing an HMD affected TUG performance in younger and older adults, which should be considered when an HMD is used for VR applications in rehabilitation.

Significance: Our findings highlight the importance of considering the physical effect of HMD wear in clinical testing, which may not be present with non-wearable VR technologies.

Keywords: Aging; Balance; HMD; Posture; TUG.

Publication types

Clinical Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomechanical Phenomena
Female
Head
Humans
Male
Microcomputers*
Middle Aged
Postural Balance / physiology*
Posture / physiology*
Virtual Reality*
Young Adult