ALT Dynamic postural stability paradigms with virtual reality (VR) provide a means to simulate real-world postural challenges and induce customised but controlled perturbations. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a VR unanticipated perceptual sport perturbation on postural stability compared to traditional methods. Sixteen individuals between the ages of 18–23 years (19.5 ± 1.4 years) with no history of injury within 12 months were recruited. A double-leg to single-leg transition task was performed on a force plate in one of the following conditions: eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), a sport video with a standard non-immersive computer monitor (SV), and VR. The VR and SV conditions used a pre-recorded tackle avoidance task video where participants shifted to a leg in the opposite direction of a simulated opponent, while EC and EO were completed with auditory prompts. Relative to the EO condition, EC and VR induced greater postural instability. The largest effect size
ALT Experimental methodology. Figure 1 shows a participant in the single leg stance phase of the task. Figure 2 is a diagram representation of what is occurring in the VR and Sport Video conditions. Figure 3 is still frame images from the VR and Sport Video conditions.
