Investigating the Relationship Between Lower Limb Flexibility With Motor Function and Risk of Falling in Visually Impaired Individuals

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the flexibility of the ankle and knee joints and to determine its relationship with balance, motor function, and risk of falling in visually impaired individuals. Methods: The sample consisted of 32 blind males, 20-30 years old. They were selected by the purposeful sampling method. We used modified stork tests, tendon gait, and Berg balance scale to evaluate their balance. The Tinetti test was used to evaluate motor performance and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test to assess the risk of falling. The SLR test and Lunge test were used to assess the range of motion of the knee and ankle joint, respectively. This study was conducted in the men’s dormitories of Tehran University in the fall of 2019. The obtained data were normalized using the Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson correlation coefficient at the significant level of 0.05 to investigate the relationship between the variables. Results: The results of the Pearson correlation test showed a significant relationship between balance (P=0.001), motor function (P=0.002), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.010) (ankle motor restriction). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between balance (P=0.002), motor function (P=0.001), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.003) with hamstring flexibility test (knee motor restriction). Conclusion: Given the significant relationship between the range of motion of the lower limbs with balance and motor function, the use of stretching exercises can be an influential factor in increasing the range of motion of the ankle and knee in blind people, which improves balance, motor function, and reduced risk of falling in blindness.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stability Exercises on Balance and Walking Function in the Elderly

“…Hence, when standing and walking, compensatory movements are not created by the auxiliary muscle and thus improving balance. Various studies have also shown that limitations in the range of motion of the ankle, knee, and thigh reduce balance [45].…”

Reactive Agility and Pitching Performance Improvement in Visually Impaired Competitive Italian Baseball Players: An Innovative Training and Evaluation Proposal

“…This may depend on the specific difficulty separating head and trunk movements, especially during rotation around the vertical axis, as well as disability-related upper body tension and stiffness [ 14 , 15 ]. As a result, these individuals often deal with movement limitations both in daily life and leisure/sport activities and, if this motor experience lack is not intentionally compensated, it can easily lead to sedentary life-related physical and mental disorders [ 16 , 17 ]. Spatial awareness and management are generally accomplished via integration of visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive cues [ 18 , 19 , 20 ], but in case of visual impairment, subjects strongly rely on egocentric references and acoustic feedback [ 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”