400 Section - Differences in the Dynamic Balance Function of Healthy Elementary School Students and University Students With and Without a Sensor-Integrated Gamification Application

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

YK

Yasuaki Kusumoto, PhD

Associate Professor
Fukushima Medical University
Fukushima sakae, Fukushima, Japan

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

SO

Satoko Ohmatsu, PhD

occupational therapist
Digireha Inc
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
ET

Eri Takahashi, PhD

Assistant Professor
Fukushima Medical University School of Health Sciences
Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
KN

Kanako Nakamura, MS

Physical therapist
Digireha Inc
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
KT

Kenji Takaki, PhD

instructor
Tokyo University of Technology
shiki, Saitama, Japan
TM

Tadamitsu Matsuda, PhD

professor
Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Juntendo University
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
ON

Osamu Nitta, PhD

Professor
R Professional University of Rehabilitation
Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki, Japan

Objectives : Effective motor learning in rehabilitation depends on appropriate task difficulty. Gamification can enhance engagement in pediatric rehabilitation, yet its impact on dynamic balance with sensor technology remains unclear. This study examined how a novel sensor-integrated gamification app, designed to encourage slow, controlled movements, influences dynamic balance in healthy elementary school and university students.

Design:

A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2025, including 79 healthy participants (43 elementary school students, Fukuoka; 36 university students, Fukushima). Dynamic balance was evaluated under two conditions: the standard Y-Balance Test (YBT) and a sensor-based YBT using the gamified application. Sensor sensitivity was set to 0.768 g and 7.53 m/s² to constrain movement, allowing comparison between standard and technology-mediated performance.

Results:

Significant interaction effects were found between groups and test conditions. Among university students, no significant differences appeared between normal and sensor-based YBT scores for either leg. In contrast, elementary school students demonstrated significantly lower anterior, posteromedial, posterolateral, and composite scores in the sensor-based YBT compared with the normal YBT, indicating increased task difficulty under sensor-controlled conditions.

Conclusion:

The sensor-integrated gamification app effectively increased task difficulty for younger participants by promoting slower, more deliberate movements, temporarily reducing dynamic balance performance. This effect was not observed in the more motorically mature university group. These findings suggest that sensor-based gamification offers a quantifiable, age-appropriate means of adjusting task difficulty in pediatric rehabilitation. Further research should explore optimal sensor settings and evaluate the application’s feasibility for children with motor control impairments.