Feasibility and Immediate Effects of Dynamic Exercise Using Mixed Reality for Balance Improvement in Older Adults and Individuals With Neurologic Disorders.
Kazuki Ushizawa, Shintaro Uehara, Akiko Yuasa and 4 others
PMID 42769768WHAT IT FOUND
31 participants completed one 20-minute mixed reality session without severe sickness or adverse events.
Overall Timed Up and Go improved by 0.92 seconds, Functional Reach did not, and subgroup effects were inconsistent.
Key findings
01No severe simulator sickness or adverse events were reported after the mixed reality session.
02Across all participants, Timed Up and Go time decreased by 0.92 seconds, from 14.03 seconds to 13.11 seconds, while Functional Reach did not change significantly.
03Subgroup pre-post changes were inconsistent: Timed Up and Go improved by 2.35 seconds only in stroke, and Functional Reach increased by 2.61 cm only in older adults.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
This was a single-arm study with no control group, so it cannot show whether the change was due to the exercise rather than other factors. The sample was small, with 10 older adults, 11 people with Parkinson's disease, and 10 people with stroke, so subgroup findings are unstable. Only one 20-minute session was tested, while the authors note balance training usually requires repeated sessions over weeks. The mean improvements were below published minimal detectable change values, so they may not be clinically meaningful. The participants had to stand independently, so the study does not show what would happen in people who cannot stand. The authors state the sex distribution was uneven and may bias subjective enjoyment, continuation, and effectiveness scores.
Declared interests
Techlico, Inc. provided temporary free access to the REHAMARU mixed reality application. The company had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, manuscript preparation, or publication decision.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that mixed reality exercise alone improves balance long term or is better than conventional therapy. The study was single-arm with one 20-minute session and no control group. It also used a head-mounted display, suspension fall-support, shock-absorbing floor, and researcher supervision, and the mean changes were below reported minimal detectable change values.