Analysis of relationship between strenght and balance in athletes with visual impairment and guides participants of athletics Brazil paralympic team

• Grant number: 13/04739-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Ciro Winckler de Oliveira Filho
• Grantee: Thaís Lazaneo Zirnberger
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The balance control is a complex process that depends on three perceptive systems: Vestibular, Visual and proprioceptive. Any change in these three systems may damage information processing, reducing the stability and resulting in increased body oscillation. Athletes with visual impairments (VI) present balance changes due to changes in visual system. It's believed that the muscle strength may be associated with the balance; researches performed with different populations show the relationship between the degree of improvement in strength and improved balance indicators. Objective: Analyze the relationship between isokinetic strength and balance of athletes with VI and your guides of the athletics Brazil paralympic team. Methods: The research protocol was approved CEP/UNIFESP N°0294/11. Will be evaluated two groups of athletes: visually impaired and guides, who will perform the evaluation of isokinetic muscle strength for knee extensors and flexors. Conduct the postural stability test with changes and sequence: bipedal support and single leg stance with right and left. The variables will be analyzed with statistical significance of 5%. (AU)