Virtual immersive sensorimotor training (VIST) in collegiate soccer athletes: A quasi-experimental study.

A burgeoning area of innovation in sports is the use of extended realities to provide athletes with novel training environments. Evidence has demonstrated that virtual environments can be useful therapeutic tools with demonstrated positive outcomes. The purpose of this pilot investigation was to determine the effects of virtual immersive sensorimotor training intervention by quantifying 1) the training effect measured via change in performance pre-to post-intervention on the virtual reality exercises, 2) the difference in the in clinical measures of functional sensorimotor control, 3) the injury incidence rate, and 4) on-field performance during soccer competitions. Statistical analyses were used to describe differences between an experimental and a control group. Participants were recruited from the men and women's soccer teams at two universities in the United States. Participants at one university were in the experimental group (n = 78) and received virtual immersive sensorimotor training, consisting of nine novel exercises in headset virtual reality, twice each week for six weeks. Participants at the second university were in the control group (n = 52). The virtual exercises were developed with reference to the rehabilitative principles of neuroplasticity to train various neurologic processes, contributing to overall sensorimotor control. This includes vestibular, visual and oculomotor activities, cervical neuromotor control training, movement coordination, and postural/balance exercises. The results indicate significant positive training effects pre-to post-intervention in seven of the nine training exercises (p ≤ 0.005) and improvement in clinical tests of cervical neuromotor control, balance, and inspection time (p ≤ 0.009) in the experimental group compared to the control. One of the virtual training exercises was positively associated with on-field performance (p = 0.022). No differences in injury rate or overall on-field performance metrics between the experimental and control were detected. This research study provides evidence of training and positive transfer from virtual to real-world environments, supporting the use of these novel virtual exercises to improve measures of sensorimotor control in healthy soccer athletes.

Sensorimotor training for injury prevention in collegiate soccer players: An experimental study.

OBJECTIVES: Deliver a sensorimotor training intervention; quantify the change in clinical measurements of sensorimotor control; and compare injury rate to a historical control. DESIGN: One-arm experimental pilot; Level 3. SETTING: NCAA Division II university athletic facilities. PARTICIPANTS: 75 collegiate soccer players (38 males; 37 females) were enrolled, including 30 (40%) with history of concussion, and participated in eight training sessions. OUTCOMES: Change in pre-to post-intervention for: static balance on the Sway app, near-point convergence, self-reported symptoms on the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale, cervical flexor neuromotor control/endurance, measured by the Cranial-Cervical Flexion Test and Joint Position Error test, and gaze stability on the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test. Injury incidence rate in 2018 was calculated using the number of traumatic injuries across the season and athlete exposure counts, as compared to a historical control. RESULTS: Significant improvements were obtained in static balance, cervical flexor neuromotor control/endurance, and near-point convergence (p-values<0.01-0.03). Increases in symptom report (p = 0.02) and a decline in dynamic gaze stability (p < 0.01) were observed. There were 11.8 injuries/1000 athlete exposures in 2017 and 8.9 injuries/1000 athlete exposures in 2018 after the treatment (p = 0.18). CONCLUSION: This intervention holds promise as a preventive strategy for sports-injury as a comprehensive population-based intervention.