Assessments of Static Balance Using Virtual Moving Surround

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the static balance under the virtual moving surround (VMS) in healthy young and elderly adults. METHOD: There were twenty four healthy young adults and thirty nine healthy elderly aged 60 and older. Each group was tested with forceplate during quite standing with eyes opened, closed and under the VMS for static balance. The VMS was stimulated with a head-mounted display (HMD). The parameters for static balance were total sway path distance and area. RESULTS: All static balance parameters of healthy elderly were significantly increased in all conditions when compared with parameters of young adults. In the young adults and elderly, total sway path distance and sway area were significantly different under the VMS. In the healthy elderly, total sway path distance and sway area were significantly increased under the VMS as much as eyes closed. CONCLUSION: In the healthy adults, the VMS could provoke the significant postural sway during static standing. VMS can be used as a tool to evaluate and treat of the patients with static balance dysfunction.