Perceptual Decision Efficiency Is Modifiable and Associated with Decreased Musculoskeletal Injury Risk Among Female...

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Musculoskeletal injury prevention traditionally focuses on physical factors.
• Perceptual decision-making is a newly recognized factor in injury risk.
• Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers novel assessment tools for perceptual-motor skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of perceptual-response training (PRT) on decision-making capabilities in female college soccer players.
• To determine if improvements in perceptual decision-making predict musculoskeletal injury risk.

Main Methods:

• 26 female soccer players underwent assessments and a 10-session PRT program using VR.
• Measures included perceptual latency (PL), rate correct per second (RCS), and intra-individual variability (IIV).
• Perceptual Decision Efficiency (PDE) was calculated as RCS/IIV; injury prediction analyzed via ROC and Kaplan-Meier.

Main Results:

• PRT significantly improved RCS, IIV, and PDE (p < 0.05).
• A strong inverse relationship was observed between RCS and IIV (Spearman's Rho = -0.795).
• PDE ≤ 21.6 was the best predictor of injury (93% Sensitivity; 42% Specificity; OR = 9.29).

Conclusions:

• A 10-session PRT program enhances perceptual decision-making in athletes.
• Improved perceptual decision efficiency (PDE) demonstrates a transfer benefit for injury prediction.
• PDE is a valuable metric for prospective identification of athletes at risk for musculoskeletal injury.