During the tests, there were different visual conditions: eyes-open (EO), eyes-closed (EC), and strobe vision (SV). Static postural control, a single-leg hop balance test calculated by Dynamic Postural Stability Index (DPSI), and the Y-Balance test (YBT) were measured. The strobe group wore stroboscopic glasses during a 4-week balance training. Twenty-eight CAI patients were equally assigned to one of 2 groups: strobe or control group.
To compare (1) the effects of balance training with and without stroboscopic glasses on postural control and (2) the effects of the training on visual reliance in patients with CAI. Individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) are believed to rely more on visual information during postural control due to impaired proprioceptive function, which may increase the risk of injury when their vision is limited during sports activities. Intermittent visual occlusions are likely a simple method for enhancing balance training in dynamic motor tasks.
The difference between groups was also apparent 2 weeks later testing for retention (60% improvement for the visual occlusions group, 5% for the unperturbed vision group t(38) = –4.2, p < 0.001). Balance performance, in number of step-offs of the beam, improved by 78% for the visual occlusions group on the same day of the training, a near fourfold improvement compared to the 21% improvement for the unperturbed vision group (t(38) = –5.2, p < 0.001). Forty healthy young individuals walked on a treadmill-mounted balance beam for 30 min (20 subjects with intermittent visual occlusions and 20 subjects with unperturbed vision). We theorized that intermittent visual occlusions with electrically controlled liquid crystal glasses would overcome the previous limitations of the immersive virtual reality headset and provide a means to enhance dynamic balance training efficacy.
Prior research found that intermittent visual rotations improved balance training during walking on a narrow beam, but limitations from the immersive virtual reality headset hindered balance training effectiveness overall. Dynamic balance requires the neural integration of multisensory information to constantly assess the state of body mechanics. Improving dynamic balance can prevent falls in humans with neurological and mechanical deficits.
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