ASSESSMENT AND COMPARISON OF VISUAL SKILLS AMONG ATHLETES

Öz

Vision is a warning that directs muscles of the body to respond and gives information about where and when to move. Visual reaction time amongst athletes is mainly concerned with how fast an athlete reacts to a visual stimulus. However, little information is available on reaction time (RT), hand-eye coordination among athletes from different sport branches. In many sports branches; RT and hand-eye coordination is regarded as a prerequisite for success. For this reason, the aim of the current study was to investigate RT differences for eye-hand coordination of athletes from different sports and sedentary people. Study involved 48 athletes, aged 18-25 from different branches [basketball (n=6), arm wrestling (n=4), boxing (n=6), football (n=13), handball (n=4), rugby (n=8), volleyball (n=7)] and 9 sedentary people. Hand-eye coordination tests were conducted by using reaction development and training system FitLight Trainer™ (Fitlight Sports Corp., Canada). Test protocol consisted of 10 series of simple motor reaction task to visual stimuli; each of the 10 series included 22 reactions. Variables not fitting normal distribution were compared by Kruskal Wallis H test. Mean reaction time (MRT) was found to be different among branches (p=0.009). RT for 10 different trials were found to be different for 3^rd(p=0.038), 4^th(p=0.047), 5^th(p=0.022), 6^th(p=0.044), 7^th(p=0.041), 8^th(p=0.011), 9^th(p=0.019), 10^th(p=0.023) trials. According to results, it can be said that visual reaction times of field players are very specific and insufficient to distinguish. During trainings, it may be advisable to have reaction time development exercises with specific technical/tactical skills related to branches and positions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Fitlight,motor performance,Visual reaction time

ASSESSMENT AND COMPARISON OF VISUAL SKILLS AMONG ATHLETES

Öz

Görüş; vücudun kaslarını yanıtlamaya yönlendiren, nereye ve ne zaman hareket edileceğine dair bilgi veren bir uyarıdır. Sporcular arasındaki görsel reaksiyon süresi, bir sporcunun görsel uyarana ne kadar hızlı tepki verdiği ile ilgilidir. Ancak, farklı branştan sporcuların reaksiyon zamanı (RT) ve el-göz koordinasyonu ile ilgili bilgiler sınırlıdır. Birçok spor branşında RT ve el-göz koordinasyonu başarı için ön koşul olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu sebeple çalışmanın amacı, farklı branştan sporcular ve sedanterler arasındaki RT farklılıklarının araştırılması olarak belirlenmiştir. Çalışmaya farklı branşlardan [basketbol (n=6), bilek güreşi (n=4), boks (n=6), futbol (n=13), hentbol (n=4), rugbi (n=8), voleybol (n=7)] 18-25 yaş arası 48 sporcu ve 9 sedanter katılmıştır. El-göz koordinasyon testleri reaksiyon geliştirme ve antrenman sistemi  FitLight Trainer™ (Fitlight Sports Corp., Kanada) ile ölçülmüştür. Test protokolü görsel uyarana karşı motor reaksiyon görevi içeren 10 seriden oluşmuş ve her seri 22 reaksiyon içermiştir. Normal dağılıma uygunluk göstermeyen veriler Kruskal Wallis H testi ile karşılaştırılmıştır. Ortalama reaksiyon zamanı (MRT) branşlar arasında farklı bulunmuştur (p=0,009). 10 deneme için RT üçüncü (p=0,038), dördüncü (p=0,047), beşinci (p=0,022), altıncı (p=0,044), yedinci (p=0,041), sekizinci (p=0.011), dokuzuncu (p=0.019), onuncu (p=0,023) denemelerde branşlar arasında farklılık göstermiştir. Sonuçlara göre, sporcuların görsel reaksiyon zamanlarının oldukça spesifik olduğu ve ayırt edici olarak yetersiz kaldığı söylenebilir. Antrenmanlarda branşa ve pozisyona özgü teknik/taktik becerilerle birlikte reaksiyon zamanını geliştirici egzersizler yapılması önerilebilir. 

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Görsel reaksiyon zamanı,Fitlight,motor performans

Kaynakça

1. 1. Vickers JN. Advances in coupling perception and action: The quiet eye as a bidirectional link between gaze, attention, and action. Progress in Brain Research, 2009; 174: 279-288.
2. 2. Erickson G. Sports Vision: Vision care for the enhancement of sports performance. S.Louis, Butterworth-Heinemann Elsevier, 2007.
3. 3. Kirschen DG, Laby DL. The role of sports vision in eye care today. Eye & contact lens, 2011; 37(3): 127-130.
4. 4. Davids K, Williams JG, Williams AM. Visual perception and action in sport. Routledge, 2005.
5. 5. Mori S, Ohtani Y, Imanaka K. Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science, 2002; 21(2): 213-230.
6. 6. Hadlow SM, Panchuk D, Mann DL, Portus MR, Abernethy B. Modified perceptual training in sport: a new classification framework. Journal of Science and Medicine In Sport, 2018.
7. 7. Meng KY, Zuhairi NA, Manan FA, Knight VF, Padri MNA, Omar R. Role of gender, age and ethnicities on visual reaction time and visual anticipation time of junior athletes. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 2015; 9(5): 129-134.
8. 8. Loureiro Jr LDFB, Freitas PBD. Influence of the performance level in badminton players in neuromotor aspects during a target-pointing task. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte, 2012; 18(3): 203-207.

9. 9. Luce RD. Response Times: Their Role in Inferring Elementary Mental Organization. Oxford University Press, 1986; 3(8).
10. 10. Paterson G. Visual-motor response times in athletes and non-athletes (Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch: University of Stellenbosch), 2010.
11. 11. O’Connor FG, Casa DJ, Davis BA, Pierre PS, Sallis RE, Wilder RP. ACSM’s Sport Medicine A Comprehensive Review, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012; pg 166.
12. 12. Kuan YM, Zuhairi NA, Manan FA, Knight VF, Omar R. Visual reaction time and visual anticipation time between athletes and non-athletes. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 2018; Special issue 1: 135-141.
13. 13. Zwierko T, Florkiewicz B, Fogtman S, Kszak-Krzyżanowska A. The ability to maintain attention during visuomotor task performance in handball players and non-athletes. Central European Journal of Sport Sciences and Medicine, 2014; 3(7): 99-106.
14. 14. Babu RJ, Lillakas L, Irving EL. Dynamics of saccadic adaptation: differences between athletes and nonathletes. Optometry and Vision Science, 2005; 82(12): 1060-1065.
15. 15. Vera J, Jiménez R, Cárdenas D, Redondo B, García JA. Visual function, performance, and processing of basketball players versus sedentary individuals. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2017.
16. 16. Del Percio C, Brancucci A, Vecchio F, Marzano N, Pirritano M, Meccariello E, Lino A. Visual event-related potentials in elite and amateur athletes. Brain Research Bulletin, 2007; 74(1-3): 104-112.
17. 17. Aksoy Y. Comparison of Sprint Reaction Time and Anaerobic Strength of Young Football, Volleyball and Wrestlers. Master Thesis, 36, 2012.
18. 18. Akyuz M, Uzaldi BB, Akyuz Ö, Doğru Y. Comparison of Sprint Reaction and Visual Reaction Times of Athletes in Different Branches. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 2016; 5(1): 94-100.
19. 19. Kosinski RJ. A literature review on reaction time. Clemson University, 2008; 10.