Motor abilities of children with different levels of visual acuity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the motor abilities between students with different levels of visual acuity. The research included 51 participants of both genders, aged 7 to 12, divided in to a group of typically developed children, with normal visual acuity (n=24) and a group of students with visual impairment (n=27). The group of students with visual impairment (VI) was divided into two groups: students with moderate visual impairment (MVI) and students with severe visual impairment (SVI). To evaluate their motor abilities we used eight tests from the Eurofit battery of tests. Typically developed children scored statistically significant higher results on the Flamingo Balance test, Plate Tapping, Sit-and-Reach, Sit-Ups in 30s the 10 x 5m, Shuttle Run and the 20m endurance shuttle run. Between two groups of participants with VI, statistically significant differences were determined only for the Flamingo Balance test for the evaluation of static balance, in favor of students with SVI. The assumption is that students with SVI rely on information obtained by peripheral sections of the retina more so than students with MVI. It is necessary to carry our further studies that would include a greater number of participants and a greater number of tests for the evaluation of balance, maintaining posture and walking so that the obtained hypotheses could further be confirmed.

Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se utvrde razlike u motoričkim sposobnostima između dece sa različtim nivoom oštrine vida. U istraživanju je učestvovao 51 ispitanik oba pola starosti od 7 do 12 godina, podeljenih u grupu dece tipičnog razvoja, sa normalnom oštrinom vida (njih 24) i dece sa oštećenjem vida (njih 27), čija se oštrina vida kretala u granicama slabovidosti. Deca sa oštećenjem vida su podeljena u dve grupe: decu sa umerenim, njih 13 i teškim oštećenjem vida, njih 14. Za procenu motoričkih sposobnosti korišćeno je osam testova iz Eurofit baterije testova. Deca tipičnog razvoja su imala statistički bolje rezultate u testovima Flamingo Balance test, Plate Tapping, Sit-and-Reach, Sit-Ups in 30s, 10 x 5m, Shuttle Run i 20m endurance shuttle run. Između grupa dece sa različitim stepenom oštećenja vida statistički značajne razlike su utvrđene samo u Flamingo Balance testu za procenu statičke ravnoteže i to u korist dece sa teškim stepenom oštećenja vida. Pretpostavka je da se deca sa teškim stepenom oštećenja vida oslanjaju na informacije dobijene perifernim delovima retine više nego što to čine deca sa umerenim stepenom oštećenja vida. Potrebno je sprovesti dodatna istraživanja sa većim brojem ispitanika i sa većim brojem testova za procenu ravnoteže, održavanja posture i hoda kako bi se dobijene pretpostavke dalje proverile.