Effectiveness of a 5-week virtual reality versus traditional training on balance and flexibility in healthy adult females

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a 5-week virtual reality training protocol on static and dynamic balance and flexibility compared to a traditional training protocol in healthy adult females. Methods Twenty-one healthy female adults (age, 49.81 +/- 2.99 years) were randomly assigned into three groups: Virtual Reality (VR; n = 7) that performed a 5-week exergame training protocol; Traditional Training (TR; n = 7) that performed a specific training protocol on balance, and lower limbs and abdominal strength; and waitlist control group (CG; n = 7) that continued their daily activities without any type of structured physical activity. Static balance was assessed by the ellipse area and statokinesigram parameters (Romberg test, in the open-eye (OE) and closed-eye (CE)), dynamic balance by the star excursion balance test on the right and left leg, and flexibility by the sit and reach test. Results After the intervention, VR and TR groups showed a significant improvement in static and dynamic balance and flexibility (all p < 0.001) compared to the CG. Compared to TR, the VR training protocol showed greater effect sizes and was more effective in percentage terms on all measured variables, particularly for Sit and Reach (82% vs. 35%), except the OE Area (42% vs. 49%). Conclusions Findings suggest that both a 5-week VR training protocol and a 5-week TR protocol may significantly improve static and dynamic balance and flexibility in healthy female adults. The VR training protocol showed a greater effect size compared to the TR training protocol, although it was not statistically significant. Future randomized controlled studies with a larger sample size and longer training protocols are needed to confirm this finding.