Reality, virtual reality, and imagery: Quality of movement in novice dart players

Abstract

Introduction Meaning and purpose have been tenets of occupational therapy since the profession’s inception. Therefore, it is important to understand how to best employ these central concepts in practice. One way to do this is to study the “same” task under materials-based, imagery-based, and virtual reality conditions. Method Participants included 34 adult novice dart players, each of whom experienced all three conditions in a randomized order. Motion capture technology was used to evaluate the quality of motion during the three conditions. Results Similarities between the materials-based and imagery-based condition ( p > 0.0167) suggest participants utilized preconceived concepts of throwing real darts during these two conditions. Differences between the virtual reality and imagery-based conditions ( p < 0.0167) suggest that the virtual reality condition utilized a different motor performance, focusing less on perceptions of throwing darts and more on achieving successes within the virtual environment. Conclusion Implications are that utilizing materials-based occupations may be more efficient than imagery-based to enhance development of a skill; imagery-based performance is more similar to the materials-based performance than the virtual reality performance. Virtual reality occupations can be utilized should the patient find meaning and purpose in virtual reality occupations or if the patient cannot engage in a materials-based counterpart.