Savitha Subramaniam and Tanvi Bhatt
Background
Purpose: To examine the feasibility and effect of a virtual reality - based dance training paradigm in improving balance control and physical activity levels.
Method: Community-dwelling individuals with hemiparetic stroke (N=11) received a virtual reality - based dance paradigm for 6-weeks using the commercially available Kinect dance video game “Just Dance 3”. The change in balance control was evaluated by the Limits of Stability test (Neurocom Inc.). The post-training changes in self-initiated center of pressure response time (RT), the movement velocity (MV), the maximum excursion (MXE) were examined. Changes in physical activity during dance training were assessed using Omran HJ-321 Tri-Axis Pedometer. The gaming scores were recorded from the Kinect software after each game (during training).
Result: Post-training the RT was significantly reduced (pre vs. post, p<0.05). Similarly, post-training, MV and MXE were significantly higher (p<0.05). Number of steps during dance intervention significantly increased from the 1st to the 20th session (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Results validate the feasibility of this short duration high-intensity protocol for improving balance control and physical activity in chronic stroke survivors.
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