Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Using a Virtual Reality Walking Simulator to Investigate Pedestrian Behavior
06:38

Using a Virtual Reality Walking Simulator to Investigate Pedestrian Behavior

Published on: June 9, 2020

Biomechanical Differences During Overground Walking in Virtual Reality: A Comparative Study With a Real Environment.

Zhiyu Tao1, Teerapapa Luecha2, Ping Yeap Loh2

  • 1Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Journal of Applied Biomechanics
|June 4, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Why do many elderly Japanese die suddenly during winter bathing?

International journal of biometeorology·2026
Same author

The relationship between clinical outcomes and gait biomechanics in individuals with plantar fasciitis.

Archives of physiotherapy·2026
Same author

Exploration of Inertial Sensor-Derived Kinematic Predictors for Dynamic Balance Assessment in the Active Adult.

Open access journal of sports medicine·2025
Same author

Grip Force Modulation on Median Nerve Morphology Changes.

Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society·2025
Same author

Impacts of Racket Handle Design on Table Tennis Topspin Forehand Rally Performance Among Beginner Players.

Sports (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Biomechanical effects of saddle height changes in leisure cycling with unilateral transtibial prostheses: A simulated study.

PloS one·2025
Same journal

Erratum. Validity of Poststroke Gait Spatiotemporal and Joint Excursion Metrics Between Inertial Measurement Units and a Marker-Based System.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
Same journal

The Influence of Different Starting Block Distances on Internal Tibial Load in Elite Sprinters.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
Same journal

Altered Lower-Limb Dynamics in Stop-Jump Activity of Adolescents With Major Thoracic Scoliosis.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
Same journal

The Influence of Relative Schoolbag Mass on Gait Biomechanics of South African Adolescents: The Role of Sex and Grade.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
Same journal

Influence of Body Configuration on Kinetics and Multijoint Control Strategies Sprinters Use During the First Step Out of Blocks.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
Same journal

Assessing the Validity of Whole-Body and Segmental Angular Momenta During Walking in Older Individuals With and Without Transtibial Limb Loss.

Journal of applied biomechanics·2026
See all related articles

Virtual reality walking alters gait, reducing lower limb muscle activity and changing spatiotemporal parameters compared to real environments. These findings impact virtual reality locomotion design and user experience.

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Virtual Reality
  • Human Locomotion

Background:

  • Immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences rely on realistic simulations of natural behaviors like walking.
  • Discrepancies between virtual reality environments (VRE) and real environments (RE) can lead to altered gait characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in lower limb spatiotemporal parameters, joint kinematics, and muscle activity during overground walking in VRE versus RE.
  • To understand the biomechanical basis of cautious gait observed in VRE.

Main Methods:

  • 13 participants walked at three cadences (60, 80, 100 steps per minute) in both VRE and RE.
  • Motion capture and electromyography (EMG) were used to record spatiotemporal gait parameters, lower limb joint angles, and muscle activity (tibialis anterior, medial gastrocnemius).
Keywords:
gait analysisjoint kinematicsmuscle activity

More Related Videos

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures
07:09

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures

Published on: August 29, 2018

Measuring the Kinematics of Daily Living Movements with Motion Capture Systems in Virtual Reality
08:45

Measuring the Kinematics of Daily Living Movements with Motion Capture Systems in Virtual Reality

Published on: April 5, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Using a Virtual Reality Walking Simulator to Investigate Pedestrian Behavior
06:38

Using a Virtual Reality Walking Simulator to Investigate Pedestrian Behavior

Published on: June 9, 2020

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures
07:09

Virtual Reality Experiments with Physiological Measures

Published on: August 29, 2018

Measuring the Kinematics of Daily Living Movements with Motion Capture Systems in Virtual Reality
08:45

Measuring the Kinematics of Daily Living Movements with Motion Capture Systems in Virtual Reality

Published on: April 5, 2018

Main Results:

  • Overground walking in VRE significantly altered several spatiotemporal gait parameters compared to RE.
  • Mean EMG activity of the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius was reduced in VRE during double- and single-support phases.
  • No significant interaction was found between walking cadence and environment for most biomechanical parameters.

Conclusions:

  • Virtual reality environments induce biomechanical changes in gait, characterized by altered spatiotemporal parameters and reduced muscle activation.
  • Findings provide insights into cautious gait in VRE and inform strategies for optimizing VR locomotion and usability.