An affordable and immersive virtual reality-based exercise therapy in forward head posture.
Afsoon Asadzadeh1, Zahra Salahzadeh2, Taha Samad-Soltani1
1Department of Health Information Technology, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Plos One
|March 6, 2024
Summary
This study developed an affordable virtual reality exercise therapy (VRET) system to make Forward Head Posture (FHP) correction more engaging. The VRET system demonstrated high precision, reliability, and usability, offering a positive rehabilitation experience.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Forward Head Posture (FHP) is a prevalent musculoskeletal issue.
- Traditional exercise therapy for FHP can be monotonous and tedious.
- Virtual Reality (VR) offers an innovative approach to enhance exercise adherence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate an affordable, immersive VR-based exercise therapy (VRET) system for correcting Forward Head Posture.
- To integrate physiotherapy expertise with game design for effective FHP rehabilitation.
- To assess the system's precision, reliability, usability, and user experience.
Main Methods:
- Developed a VRET system using a VR box, smartphone, and an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) with an Arduino Nano and ESP8266-01S.
- Designed FHP correction exercises (e.g., Capital Flexion-Extension, Chin Tuck) within an engaging shooting game format.
- Evaluated system precision (pitch, roll, yaw), intra-rater reliability (Gwet's AC1), usability (SUS), and user experience (GEQ) with FHP individuals.
Main Results:
- The designed IMU achieved high precision: pitch and roll < 0.1°, yaw < 1.3 °.
- Gwet's AC1 indicated very good intra-rater reliability (0.892).
- System Usability Scale (SUS) score demonstrated excellent usability (87.14).
- Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) scores showed high user confidence in competence, immersion, flow, and positive affect.
Conclusions:
- The developed low-cost VRET system effectively addresses challenges in FHP rehabilitation.
- VRET provides a positive and engaging user experience, improving therapeutic exercise performance.
- This system represents a significant step towards accessible and enjoyable FHP correction.
