The Influence of Augmented and Virtual Reality Environments on Foot Positioning Success and Workload in Agility Ladder Exercises

Agility ladder training is used by athletes and in rehabilitation to improve coordination and motor skills. Research highlights the potential of visual feedback in virtual reality (VR) to enhance agility ladder training compared to conventional real-world (RW) methods. Moreover, the integration of mixed reality technologies introduces new possibilities for rehabilitation through novel agility ladder concepts. However, the impact of augmented reality (AR) and VR on foot positioning success rates and foot rotation angles compared to RW environment remains underexplored. We conducted an experimental study with 24 participants to assess foot positioning success rates, rotation angles, and perceived workload in AR, RW, and VR environments, using two different visualizations: empty fields and footsteps. The results showed that AR led to significantly lower foot positioning success rates compared to both RW and VR, while VR resulted in greater inward foot rotation angles. Additionally, participants reported a significantly higher perceived workload in AR, which was consistent with qualitative feedback from post-study questionnaires. Our findings reveal the need for improved visual feedback in immersive training environments to enhance performance and reduce cognitive load. We also discuss the challenges of using AR passthrough technology for agility ladder training and provide recommendations for future rehabilitation applications.