2025 Volume 32 Issue 4 Pages 589-597
Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising tool for precisely and safely assessing and training perceptual and cognitive processes that support safe locomotion in older adults. It allows researchers and clinicians to simulate challenging scenarios that are difficult to reproduce in real-world settings. Despite its potential, the clinical application of VR remains limited, and the knowledge gained from VR research has yet to be fully exploited in practical situations. This article reviews recent studies that use the unique strengths of VR, with the aim of showcasing its practical value in rehabilitation. Focusing on perceptual and cognitive functions, we present the following examples: a VR-based multi-target stepping task designed to reduce downward gaze while walking; an aperture-passing task that minimizes excessive trunk rotation and encourages context-appropriate movement strategies; and a road-crossing simulation that examines decision-making under dynamic and risky conditions. Taken together, these studies highlight the value of VR as a translational platform that connects cognitive science with clinical rehabilitation, particularly in promoting safe locomotion and preventing collisions among older adults.
