Virtual reality-assisted neuromuscular training effects on agility performance and injury prevention in basketball...

To examine the effectiveness of virtual reality-assisted neuromuscular training interventions on agility performance and injury prevention indicators in basketball athletes compared to conventional training approaches. A 12-week controlled laboratory experiment was conducted with 70 university-level basketball athletes (age 20.95 ± 1.5 years) randomly allocated to VR-assisted neuromuscular training (n = 35) or conventional training control groups (n = 35). Comprehensive assessments included agility tests (T-test, 5-10-5 shuttle), functional movement screening, biomechanical analysis, and neuromuscular function parameters measured at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. The VR training group demonstrated 7-10% greater pre-to-post improvements in agility performance compared with the control group across multiple agility measures (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.89-1.34). Neuromuscular function parameters showed 15-30% greater pre-to-post improvements in the VR group relative to controls, including enhanced dynamic balance (pre-VR: 2.34 ± 0.41, post-VR: 1.67 ± 0.28; pre-control: 2.31 ± 0.38, post-control: 2.02 ± 0.35; between-group difference: - 0.35, 95% CI [- 0.52, - 0.18], effect size = 1.24, p < 0.001), improved joint position sense (23.4 vs. 11.8% improvement, 95% CI for difference [8.2%, 15.0%], p = 0.002), reduced dynamic knee valgus angles (18.7 vs. 8.2% reduction, 95% CI for difference [6.1%, 14.9%], p < 0.001), and increased reactive strength index (27.2 vs. 12.3% increase, 95% CI for difference [9.5%, 20.3%], p < 0.001). Movement quality scores and biomechanical injury risk markers consistently favored the VR intervention. Virtual reality-assisted neuromuscular training yields superior improvements in both agility performance and biomechanical injury risk markers compared to conventional training approaches in basketball athletes, supporting its integration into comprehensive athletic development programs.