Effects of Vestibular Training on Postural Control of Healthy Adults Using Virtual Reality

NCT05941039 | Recruiting FDA Device

• 1 other identifier: 20-25
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Postural instability is a common symptom of vestibular dysfunction that impacts a person's day-to-day activities. Vestibular rehabilitation is effective in decreasing dizziness, visual symptoms and improving postural control through several mechanisms including sensory reweighting. As part of the sensory reweighting mechanisms, vestibular activation training with headshake activities influence vestibular reflexes. However, combining challenging vestibular and postural tasks to facilitate more effective rehabilitation outcomes is under-utilized. The novel concurrent headshake and weight shift training (Concurrent HS-WST) is purported to train the vestibular system to directly impact the postural control system simultaneously and engage sensory reweighting to improve balance. Young healthy participants will perform the training by donning a virtual reality headset with an overhead harness on and a spotter present to prevent any falls. The investigators propose that this training strategy would show improved outcomes over traditional training methods by improving vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) gains, eye movement variability, sensory reweighting and promoting postural balance. The findings of this study may guide clinicians to develop rehabilitation methods for vestibular postural control in neurological populations with vestibular and/or sensorimotor control impairment.

Conditions

Virtual Reality; Vestibular Training; Balance Assessment

Keywords

VR; Balance; Vestibular Training; EMG; EOG

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain

  Horizontal and vertical vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain will be assessed using the video head impulse test (vHIT; ICS, Otometrics, Taastrup, Denmark). Twenty head impulses each will be performed to assess each direction of the semicircular canals with participant in a seated position

  Two week study period

• Eye movement variability

  Horizontal and vertical eye movements will be assessed during force plate perturbation trials using BlueGain electro-oculography (EOG) device (Cambridge Research Systems). Participants will stand on a force plate perturbation device with EOG electrodes affixed on eye muscles to record eye movements during toes up (simulating being pushed backward) and toes down (simulating being pushed forward) perturbation rotation trials.

  Two week study period

• Electromyography (EMG) amplitude

  Electromyography (EMG) will be assessed during force plate perturbation trials using Delsys Trigno wireless sensors (Delsys Inc., Boston, MA). Participants will stand on a force plate perturbation device with EMG sensors placed on postural muscles to record electrical activity during toes up (simulating being pushed backward) and toes down (simulating being pushed forward) perturbation rotation trials.

  Two week study period

• Electromyography (EMG) time onset

  Electromyography (EMG) will be assessed during force plate perturbation trials using Delsys Trigno wireless sensors (Delsys Inc., Boston, MA). Participants will stand on a force plate perturbation device with EMG sensors placed on postural muscles to record electrical activity during toes up (simulating being pushed backward) and toes down (simulating being pushed forward) perturbation rotation trials.

  Two week study period

• Balance equilibrium and composite scores

  Equilibrium and composite scores will be assessed by the Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Interaction on Balance (MCTSIB; NeuroCom®, Natus Medical Inc., Pleasanton, CA) during quiet stance. The MCTSIB requires the participant to stand upright as stable as possible for 10 s under four different conditions: (1) eyes open (EO) on a stable surface (SS), (2) eyes closed (EC) on SS, (3) EO on foam surface (FS), (4) EC on FS.

  Two week study period

• Sensory ratios

  Sensory ratios will be assessed by the Modified Clinical Test for Sensory Interaction on Balance (MCTSIB; NeuroCom®, Natus Medical Inc., Pleasanton, CA) during quiet stance. The MCTSIB requires the participant to stand upright as stable as possible for 10 s under four different conditions: (1) eyes open (EO) on a stable surface (SS), (2) eyes closed (EC) on SS, (3) EO on foam surface (FS), (4) EC on FS.

  Two week study period

Study Arms (2)

Vestibular Activation Training

EXPERIMENTAL

Device: Vestibular training using VR followed by Control; Device: Control followed by Vestibular training using VR

No Training

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Vestibular training using VR followed by Control DEVICE

A cross-over design will be used with group one receiving the training intervention for 6 days, a 4-day washout period, and a 6-day no-training period.

Vestibular Activation Training

Control followed by Vestibular training using VR DEVICE

Group two will follow the reverse sequence.

Vestibular Activation Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Able to stand independently (without an assistive device)
• This study requires participants to perform postural assessments including reactive balance following mechanical perturbations.
• Participants will also perform headshake activities and weight shift training in standing for 20 mins will mini breaks.
• Participants must be within the age of 18-35.
• A power analysis revealed that a sample of 24 participants will required for a two-group comparison to detect a significant difference at alpha=0.05 and 0.30 effect size at beta=0.8 (G\*Power, Version 3.0.10)(Faul et al, 2007).

You may not qualify if:

• Participants with an evidence of:
• Concussion, vestibular, balance or oculomotor issues for the prior 6 months.
• Neuropathic conditions, particularly affecting the lower extremities. Participants with this issue will have sensory impairments which can affect their sensory assessment.
• Current musculoskeletal deficits including significant postural abnormalities (signs of spinal, pelvic and leg length discrepancies).
• Pain or limitations in neck range of motion.
• Recent (within 6 months) orthopedic surgery that impacts postural training.
• Visual Impairment
• Participants must be able to see and follow targets on the computer monitor. Therefore, subjects must have 20/50 (corrected) vision. Subjects who are blind cannot participate.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Clarkson University: lead
• Temple University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Clarkson University

Potsdam, New York, 13699, United States

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

• Appiah-Kubi KO, Wright WG. Vestibular training promotes adaptation of multisensory integration in postural control. Gait Posture. 2019 Sep;73:215-220. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.07.197. Epub 2019 Jul 16.

  PMID: 31376748 BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Kwadwo Appiah-kubi, PhD

CONTACT

347-284-9986; kappiahk@clarkson.edu

Evan Laing, BS

CONTACT

518-860-9789; lainge@clarkson.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: CROSSOVER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2023
• First Posted: July 12, 2023
• Study Start: October 3, 2022
• Primary Completion: August 15, 2024
• Study Completion: August 30, 2025
• Last Updated: June 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Locations

US (1)