POSTURAL CONTROL IN ATHLETES WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to describe postural control in athletes with different degrees of visual impairment in erect semi-static position and verify whether it differs with sport modalities. Twenty-two athletes with total loss of vision (functional classification B1) and 17 with partial loss of vision (functional classification B2 and B3) were included in this cross-sectional study. Their sport modalities were judo (n = 17), goalball (n = 12) and five-a-side football (n=10). Postural control was investigated on a force platform with athletes in bipedal stance with eyes closed and blindfolded. The elliptical area of 95% confidence interval (mm2) and the mean displacement velocity (mm/s) were calculated. Athletes with total loss of vision presented smaller oscillation area values (p = 0.02) when compared to athletes with partial loss of vision. Considering sport modality, five-a-side athletes were found to present the best postural control. Moreover, goalball athletes oscillated less and presented a lower mean displacement velocity in relation to judoists. The differences found in postural control in visually impaired athletes seem to be associated with the degree of loss of vision and specificities of each sport modality.