Effect of home-based oculomotor exercises on postural stability in healthy female adults

Abstract

Visual information improves postural stability and facilitates stabilization of upright posture. To date, how saccades and smooth pursuit eye movements affect postural control is still a matter of debate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of oculo-motor exercises on static postural stability in healthy female adults. Participants (51.6 ± 4.9 years) were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 9) that performed 4-week home-based oculomotor exercises (i.e., saccadic eye movement and smooth pursuit) or a control group (n = 9). Pre and post postural stability during quiet standing with eyes open were measured on both groups. Significant 'Time x Group' interaction (p