title: Balance Functional Assessment in People with Visual Impairment.
abstract: The aims of this study were twofold: to assess the level of balance of people with visual impairment against the BOT-2 standard scores for the able-bodied, and to identify in which trials subjects had the greatest difficulties in maintaining balance with respect to the degree of vision loss and age categories. One hundred twenty-seven subjects with visual impairment aged 6-16 years, participated in the study (68 girls and 59 boys). The division for partially sighted people (61) and the blind (66) was made according to the WHO classification. Functional balance assessment was made using a balance subtest from the Bruininks-Oseretsky test. Significant relationships were noticed between age and the level of balance (χ2 = 8.35 p <0,05), as well as between the degree of vision loss and the level of balance (χ2 = 24.53 p <0,001). The level of balance of almost all blind subjects was below (20%) or well-below (60%) the average for the able-bodied. The subjects' ability to maintain balance was not dependent on gender and was associated primarily with the degree of visual impairment and age. Partially sighted people had better balance than the blind and the decrease in visual acuity resulted in reduction of balance skills. The lowest level of balance was observed in blind students aged 7-11 years. Elaborating physical fitness improvement programs for children and adolescents with visual impairment, diversity of age, the degree of vision loss and limitations of ablility to maintain balance should be taken into account.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports for Individuals with Disabilities, Department of Theo Movement, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rutkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Adapted Physical Activity,,Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bednarczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports for Individuals with Disabilities, Department of Theo Movement, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartosz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Molik
authors.affiliation: Department of Adapted Physical Activity,,Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morgulec-Adamowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Theory and Methodology in Teaching Movemen, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marszałek
authors.affiliation: Department of Adapted Physical Activity,,Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Kalina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaźmierska-Kowalewska
authors.affiliation: Educational Center for Bind Children in Laski, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koc
keywords: body balance; functional tests; people with visual impairment
references.citation: Gait Posture. 2001 Jul;14(1):36-43
references.pmid: 11378423
references.citation: Res Q Exerc Sport. 2007 Mar;78(2):16-23
references.pmid: 17479570
references.citation: Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009 Nov;107(5):571-9
references.pmid: 19701648
references.citation: Dev Med Child Neurol. 2008 Feb;50(2):139-45
references.pmid: 18201303
references.citation: Medicina (Kaunas). 2006;42(1):49-56
references.pmid: 16467613
references.citation: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 Jan;41(1):103-9
references.pmid: 19092701
references.citation: Phys Ther. 1997 Jun;77(6):619-28
references.pmid: 9184687
references.citation: Child Dev. 1974 Mar;45(1):114-26
references.pmid: 4820265