Impact of Exercise and Virtual Reality on Psychomotor Skills in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Affected Armed Forces Personnel

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the impact of physical exercise and exergame interventions on the psychomotor aspects of armed forces personnel diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Materials Methods: A quasi-experimental research design with pre-test and post-test measurements, including a control group, was employed. A total of 60 male members of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran diagnosed with PTSD were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to one of three groups: Pilates training, exergame intervention, and control, with 20 participants in each group. The experimental groups participated in 24 sessions of intervention (three one-hour sessions per week), while the control group continued with their usual daily routines and treatment plans. Data collection involved administering the Berg Functional Balance Scale, the Tandem Gait Motor Coordination Test, and the SF-36 Quality of Life Questionnaire during both the pre-test and post-test phases. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and Bonferroni’s post hoc test via SPSS 25 software, with a significance level of 0.05 applied throughout. Findings: Both exercise and exergame interventions significantly improved psychomotor components in participants. Pilates training demonstrated superior efficacy compared to exergames in enhancing quality of life and motor coordination, while no significant differences in functional balance were observed between the two experimental groups. Conclusion: Physical exercise, including Pilates and virtual reality-based exergames, effectively enhances psychomotor skills in military personnel with PTSD, with Pilates yielding greater benefits in certain areas.