Louisiana Research Day Program Book 2025

Anatomy and Epidemiology

Anatomy and Epidemiology

Taylor Hardin, MA, OMS-1; Marco Avalos, MD, PhD; Young-Whoo Kwon, PhD Texas Women’s University; Department of Biomechanics, Denton, TX 39 KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF POSTURE AND THE LOWER LIMBS BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS WHILE WALKING IN HEELS

Briana Krutsinger, OMS-III; Julia Moore, OMS-III; James Colquitt, PhD 1 VCOM-Louisiana 40 VIRTUAL REALITY-BASED EDUCATION IN OPHTHALMOLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW

Context: High-heeled footwear alters biomechanics, affecting posture and gait. While studies extensively analyze the effects of high heels on females, there is limited research comparing the compensatory mechanisms of males and females. This study investigates these kinematic differences to understand gender-specific adaptations. Objective: To compare the kinematic effects of high-heeled walking on posture and lower limb joint orientation between males and females, hypothesizing that females demonstrate fewer compensations due to experience with high heels. Methods: Thirty-two healthy adults (16 males, 16 females) aged 18–35 were recruited. Reflective markers on anatomical landmarks captured kinematic data during barefoot and high-heeled walking trials. Variables including knee and ankle angles, thoracic curvature (kyphosis), lumbar curvature (lordosis), and cadence were analyzed using a 2x2 factorial MANOVA, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Females exhibited straighter thoracic spines and increased lumbar flexion (lordosis) in high heels, while males showed greater thoracic curvature and straighter lumbar spines. Both genders reduced ankle eversion and increased knee flexion, with females displaying greater ranges of motion. Males slowed cadence in high heels, whereas females maintained consistent pace. Significant differences were found for gender (p = .014) and shoe condition (p < .001) but not their interaction (p = .196). Conclusion: Males exhibit greater compensatory adjustments than females when walking in high heels, likely due to inexperience and biomechanical differences. High heels similarly affect both genders, with compensations aimed at maintaining balance and stability. Future research should examine experienced populations and dynamic walking conditions to explore adaptation mechanisms further.

Context: Virtual reality (VR) is a rapidly growing concept in the field of medical education, offering significant potential for innovation. Assessing how virtual reality is used in ophthalmology to teach medical students, residents, and attendings will help identify areas where VR can be further developed. Moreso, analyzing the strengths and limitations of VR in medical education, surgical training, and patient education within ophthalmology will provide valuable insights into its impact on the field. Objective: This scoping review aims to: (1) map the current applications of virtual reality across ophthalmology education, (2) analyze the effectiveness of VR interventions for different learner groups, (3) identify gaps in current VR implementation, and (4) assess the quality of evidence supporting VR use in ophthalmology education. Methods: A literature review was performed by scanning databases including PubMed, IEEE Xplore, and ERIC. Search terms included virtual reality OR VR OR augmented reality AND ophthalmology AND education OR training OR learning. Articles were filtered for publication

dates from 2015-2023 to ensure the findings remain relevant to current practices. Only English citations were included. Fifty-eight articles were identified in the literature. PRISMA ScR guidelines for scoping reviews were followed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were formed. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts. Disagreements were resolved through open discussion to reach a mutual agreement on the inclusion of the source. Twenty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Results: Results were categorized into surgical training and performance, clinical applications in diagnosis and counseling, and physical examination educational tools. Additionally, results were further categorized by target learners including medical students, residents, attendings, and other healthcare personnel. The predominant use of virtual reality in ophthalmology has been for surgical training and performance, with seventeen of the included articles focusing on this application. Ten articles explored its use in physical examination education such as simulated pupil examination, slit-lamp training, direct and indirect

ophthalmoscopy training. The least-studied application of VR was in clinical diagnosis and counseling, with only three articles addressing this area. Conclusions: Most studies targeted the education of residents, highlighting a gap in VR use among medical students, attending physicians, patients, and other healthcare personnel, including opticians. Future research should focus on expanding virtual reality applications to these underrepresented groups. The rapid growth of VR in other areas of medical education suggests similar potential to enhance ophthalmology knowledge and skills across a more comprehensive audience. Research in the application of VR in ophthalmology education should extend beyond surgical training for residents to maximize its potential in improving patient care. For example, studies could explore how VR training improves the ophthalmic diagnostic skills of medical students, evaluate whether VR-based patient education enhances understanding of ophthalmic conditions and leads to improved patient outcomes, and if VR training for opticians aids in the early detection of specific conditions like diabetic retinopathy.

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2025 Research Recognition Day