Semi-immersive virtual reality protocol assessing gait and balance in remote concussion

This proof-of-concept study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel semi-immersive virtual reality dual-task protocol in identifying lingering postural control deficits in individuals with a remote history of concussion. Study aimed to examine how dual-tasking - specifically, centred and peripheral vision Stroop tasks - affects postural sway during standing and walking in previously concussed individuals and healthy controls.

The virtual reality system integrated motion capture and force plate technology to create an ecologically realistic environment, enabling more realistic task performance. A divided attention task incorporating centred and peripheral visual stimuli was administered during standing and walking conditions. Task performance was compared between healthy controls and individuals with a documented history of concussion. Statistical analyses included independent-samples t-tests, MANOVA, and Cohen's d for significant effects.

Significant gait and postural stability impairments were identified in concussed participants. Concussed individuals exhibited larger sway areas and slower sway dynamics during standing tasks and shorter strides during walking tasks. Concussed individuals exhibited a significantly larger sway area during both the centred Stroop balance task (t(14) = 2.60, p = .021, d = 1.15) and the peripheral Stroop balance task (t(13) = 2.27, p = .041, d = 1.06).

These findings suggest that semi-immersive virtual reality dual-task assessments, particularly those involving peripheral visual demands, may detect subtle post-concussion deficits often missed by standard evaluations. This highlights the potential of virtual reality based assistive technology tools to inform more personalised interventions. Such approaches may ultimately improve long-term outcomes and quality of life through more ecologically realistic, real-world assessments.