Unit:
Department of Physical Education & Sport ScienceLibrary of the School of Physical Education and Sport Science
Author:
ΦΟΥΣΤΕΡΗ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΝΑ-ΑΝΝΑ
Supervisors info:
Μαρία Ελισσάβετ Νικολαίδου, Ειδικό Εκπαιδευτικό Προσωπικό, Τμήμα Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Original Title:
Στατική Και Δυναμική Ισορροπία Νεαρών Αθλητών Και Αθλητριών Του Ταεκβοντό Σε Διαφορετικές Συνθήκες Όρασης
Translated title:
STATIC AND DYNAMIC BALANCE OF YOUNG MALE AND FEMALE TAEKWONDO ATHLETES UNDER DIFFERENT VISUAL CONDITIONS
Summary:
The study’s purpose was to investigate the static and dynamic balance ability of young male and female taekwondo (TKD) athletes under different visual conditions. A sample of 37 physically active children (Boys=28, Girls=9, aged 10.5±1.2 years, body mass 39.9±8.7 kg, height 145.3±9.9 cm and BMI 18.7±2.7 m/kg2) with training age 4.2±1.3 years participated in an assessment of their static and dynamic balance (2 trials per condition and visual condition, 20 sec duration). Static balance was assessed with two-legged quiet stance trials with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) and one-legged EO trials with the left and right leg, while for the assessment of dynamic balance the Limits of Stability test both with EO and EC was used. All trials were assessed by means of a forceplate (Wii Biovision, 1000 Hz) for the recording of the vertical reaction force and the offline calculation of center of pressure (CoP) data based on the following parameters: a) path length (cm), b) velocity (cm/sec) c) area (cm2), d-e) sway of CoP in anterior-posterior (A-P) and mediolateral (M-L) direction. Dynamic balance performance was evaluated as the difference in displacement between the estimated anterior limit of the base of support and the participant’s anterior CoP displacement, with lower values suggesting better performance. Participants also completed the revised Waterloo footedness questionnaire to assess their lower limb dominance. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and paired samples t-tests for possible differences between visual conditions (EO vs EC) in static two-legged and dynamic balance trials and for possible differences between left and right leg separately in EO and EC visual conditions (a=0.05). The study’s main findings showed that vision affects the static balance ability of the athletes since path length, area and A-P sway of CoP were significantly increased under the EC condition. On the contrary, dynamic balance did not show significant differences between visual conditions. Further, one-legged static standing balance was superior for the right support leg (CoP path length and velocity) with eyes open. With regards to footedness, ~65% of the athletes were assessed with their right leg as the dominant one, 27% with their left leg respectively and 8.1% did not present any lower limb dominance. No significant differences between dominant and non-dominant leg were found for one-legged static balance in any examined parameter. The present study agrees with previous reports in young TKD athletes, who showed better balance performance compared to non-athletes of similar age possibly as a result of adaptations to training stimuli of TKD that places high demands for excellent postural control and balance. Visual information is critical in TKD since young male and female athletes showed a deterioration in their balance ability when vision was restricted, suggesting that they depend on visual information for learning the sport’s techniques and/or predicting the opponent’s behavior.
Main subject category:
Education - Sport science
Keywords:
taekwondo, young male, female, athletes, balance, one-legged, two-legged, vision
