Training Postural Balance Control with Pelvic Force Field at the Boundary of Stability

Bioengineering, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering10121398 · Published: December 6, 2023

Simple Explanation

This study explores how training in a virtual reality environment can improve balance and muscle control. Participants used a special machine called RobUST that pushed their trunk and helped their pelvis while they played a VR game. The study looked at how these forces affected their posture and balance strategies. Some participants received assistance at the pelvis during training, while others did not. The study measured how far they could be pushed, how their body moved, and which muscles they used to keep their balance. The findings showed that both types of training improved balance, but the way people controlled their posture was different. Those with assistance moved their pelvis more, while those without assistance kept their pelvis more stable.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

10 healthy adults (5 male, 5 female)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Both training methods (with and without pelvic assistance) led to significant improvements in balance, as indicated by the ability to resist higher trunk perturbations.
2
The assisted group learned to control posture by permitting more pelvic excursion, while the unassisted group permitted less excursion.
3
Training with RobUST assistance promoted a balance recovery strategy that permitted recovery from positions of greater displacement for perturbations in the posterior direction.

Research Summary

This study investigated the impact of robot-mediated perturbation-based balance training (PBT) with and without assistive pelvic forces on healthy adults using the Robotic Upright Stand Trainer (RobUST) in a virtual reality environment. The results indicated that both training methods improved balance, but participants developed different postural control strategies. The group with force field assistance (FF) exhibited lower margin of stability (MOS) and increased center of mass (COM) excursion, while the group without assistance (NF) showed the opposite trend. The study concludes that training with RobUST assistance can promote a balance recovery strategy that allows for recovery from positions of greater displacement, particularly for posterior perturbations, suggesting its potential for rehabilitation applications.

Practical Implications

Rehabilitation Potential

The RobUST platform is a viable tool for balance training, potentially benefitting patient populations by encouraging greater range of motion.

Customized Training

Training modalities can be tailored to promote learning of distinct postural control strategies, accommodating different patient needs.

Improved Balance Recovery

Training with assistive forces can improve balance recovery from displaced positions, which is useful for responding to unexpected perturbations.

Study Limitations

1
The test group consisted of healthy adults, not patients with balance disorders.
2
Data loss and wide range of perturbation forces led to uneven amounts of low and high perturbation force data.
3
Long-term training effects were not tested.

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