The Effect of 4-weeks Perturbation Training on Balance, Movement Function, and Risk of Falling in Blind People

Perturbation training is a type of exercise in which participants frequently experience loss of balance to practice and improve control of balance reactions. Due to postural control impairment in blind people, this study aimed to investigate the effect of 4-week perturbation-based balance training on risk of falling, movement function, and balance in people with visual impairment.

In the current, 30 men with absolute visual impairment were randomly divided into control (n=15) and experimental (n=15) groups. The experimental group performed perturbation exercises for four weeks and three sessions per week for 60 minutes. To evaluate the static balance of the modified stork test, the dynamic balance of the Berg balance tests, the movement function of the Tinetti test, and the fall risk of the functional reach test before and after the training intervention were used. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance at the level of α=0.05.

The results showed that the experimental group had an increase in the mean scores of static balance (P=0.001), dynamic balance (P=0.001), movement function (P=0.001), and decreased risk of falling (P=0.001) and is significantly better than the control group. Also, in the post-test, the findings of intragroup changes showed that the experimental group had a more significant effect on increasing balance, increasing movement function, and decreasing the rate of falling than the control group (P<0.05).

According to the results of the present study, the use of perturbation exercises improves balance, increases the level of movement function, and reduces the risk of falling in blind people. Due to the positive effects of exercises and the benefits of this type of rehabilitation, it is recommended that this rehabilitation program be performed on the blind and visually impaired. Sports instructors are advised to use the balance-based perturbation exercises in this study and other exercises for people with visual impairment to increase their fitness.