The Effect of Virtual Reality Exercises on Dynamic Balance of Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract

Introduction: One of the prominent features of children with developmental coordination disorder is poor postural control. These children are less able to control their balance in variable situations because they respond to balance disorders more slowly than their peers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of virtual reality exercises on the dynamic balance of children with developmental coordination disorder.Materials and Methods: This research was an experimental study with pre-test, post-test, and control group. Thirty children with developmental coordination disorder were randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. The heel-to-toe test was used to assess the dynamic balance. The training protocol consisted of 12 sessions of Wii fit virtual reality training, three sessions per week, and 30 minutes per session. The data obtained from pre-test and post-test were analyzed using covariance analysis at 95% confidence level.Results: There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the dynamic balance post-test.Conclusion: Twelve-week of virtual reality game interventions can be effective in improving the dynamic balance of children with developmental coordination disorder.