title: Reliability of a new virtual reality test to measure cervicocephalic kinaesthesia.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the cervicocephalic kinaesthesia of healthy subjects for gender and age effects and its reliability in a new virtual reality test procedure. 57 healthy subjects (30 male, 27 females; 18-64 years) were immersed into a virtual 3D scene via a headmounted display, which generated specific head movements. The joint repositioning error was determined in a static and dynamic test at the times T0, T1 (T0+10 minutes) and T2 (T0+24 hours). The intrasession reliability (T0-T1) and the intersession reliability (T0-T2) were analysed. In both tests no gender- or age-specific effects were found. In the overall group the means of the static test were 6.2 degrees -6.9 degrees and of the dynamic test were 4.5 degrees -4.9 degrees . The intratest difference in the static test was -0.16 degrees and the intertest difference was 0.47 degrees . The intratest difference in the dynamic test was 0.42 degrees and the intertest difference was 0.37 degrees . The static and dynamic test was reproducible in healthy subjects, with minor deviations, irrespective of gender and age. The smaller interindividual differences in the dynamic test could be beneficial in the comparison of healthy individuals and individuals with cervical spine disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honold
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hohl
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bockholt
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rettig
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elbel
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dehner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007699:Kinesthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000502:physiology*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult