Application of Real-Time Visual Feedback System in Balance Training of the Center of Pressure with Smart Wearable Devices.

I-Lin Wang,Yang Liu,Yu Su,Chun-Sheng Ho,Li-I Wang,Shun Yao

doi:10.3390/ijerph18189637

Abstract

Balance control with an upright posture is affected by many factors. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of real-time visual feedback training, provided by smart wearable devices for COP changes for healthy females, on static stance. Thirty healthy female college students were randomly divided into three groups (visual feedback balance training group, non-visual feedback balance training group, and control group). Enhanced visual feedback on the screen appeared in different directions, in the form of fluctuations; the visual feedback balance training group received real-time visual feedback from the Podoon APP for training, while the non-visual feedback balance training group only performed an open-eye balance, without receiving real-time visual feedback. The control group did not do any balance training. The balance training lasted 4 weeks, three times a week for 30 min each time with 1–2 day intervals. After four weeks of balance training, the results showed that the stability of human posture control improved for the one leg static stance for the visual feedback balance training group with smart wearable devices. The parameters of COP max displacement, COP velocity, COP radius, and COP area in the visual feedback balance training group were significantly decreased in the one leg stance (p < 0.05). The results showed that the COP real-time visual feedback training provided by smart wearable devices can better reduce postural sway and improve body balance ability than general training, when standing quietly.

Highlights

Balance ability refers to the human body’s ability to adjust automatically to maintain postural stability when it moves or is subjected to external forces [1]
The position balance of visual feedback balance training group (VFT) was significantly improved in one leg stance (OLS) when compared with pre (p < 0.05)
For the one leg stance non-visual feedback (OLS-NF), post hoc analyses revealed that the COP mediolateral (COPML)/AP max displacement of the visual feedback balance training group decreased after visual feedback balance training and the COPML max displacement of the non-visual feedback balance training group decreased after traditional balance training

Summary

Introduction

Balance ability refers to the human body’s ability to adjust automatically to maintain postural stability when it moves or is subjected to external forces [1]. Balance control is usually affected by joint range of motion and muscle strength, which can be used to monitor the sensory information of the mechanism [2]. People are clearly aware of their positional changes in space when they are given visual feedback (VF) based on the displacement of the center of pressure (COP) or body center of mass (COM) [3]. When the visual information is removed or altered, the action system must rely on proprioceptive feedback and sensory information from the vestibular system in order to maintain balance [4]. VF can help increase the body’s stability and balance ability, while controlling the posture of the human body

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Discussion

Conclusion