The Effect of Vision and Surface Compliance on Balance in Untrained and Strength Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of the removal of vision and/or surface compliance on postural stability in strength athletes who habitually use free-weights and compound movements in their training (i.e., powerlifters, Olympic weightlifters), and untrained individuals. Static and dynamic balance testing was performed with eyes open or closed on stable and memory foam surfaces. Both groups had similar increases in postural sway area and velocity during quiet standing testing; whereas group main effects and interactions for dynamic testing revealed that untrained participants experienced greater relative declines in postural performance when voluntary limits of stability are stressed, especially when both vision and surface compliance were deterred. These results demonstrate that in comparison to untrained young adults, postural control variables may be reduced to a lesser extent in strength athletes when sensory constraints are altered; however this appears to be specific to the type of postural task performed.

Effect on the Center of Pressure of Vision, Floor Condition, and the Height of Center of Mass During Quiet Standing

“…We also found that balance performance was largely affected by vision and floor condition, and individuals swayed more with eyes closed, and on the unstable floor. These findings also agree well with previous findings, where impaired visual input decreases postural stability and unstable floor affects somatosensory inputs, resulting in poor balance [10,12,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29].…”

Comparison of balance performance between masters Olympic weightlifters and runners

“…Most remarkable was that removing vision on the firm and foam surfaces had a more pronounced effect for the runners compared to the weightlifters, suggesting the weightlifters had a heightened ability to utilize compensatory sensory information stemming from either vestibular or somatosensory sources. This result is consistent with a previous study comparing young adult (18‐30 years) national level competitive Olympic and power weightlifters to a healthy group of untrained individuals 35 . Specifically, during a limits of stability task under EO/EC visual conditions and FI/FO surfaces, Bryanton and Bilodeau 35 reported that the weightlifters were less affected by changing sensory conditions than the untrained participants.…”

“…This result is consistent with a previous study comparing young adult (18‐30 years) national level competitive Olympic and power weightlifters to a healthy group of untrained individuals 35 . Specifically, during a limits of stability task under EO/EC visual conditions and FI/FO surfaces, Bryanton and Bilodeau 35 reported that the weightlifters were less affected by changing sensory conditions than the untrained participants. Taken together, these findings suggest Olympic weightlifting may promote a heighted ability to use vestibular and/or somatosensory sources for balance, although the underlying mechanisms for this phenomenon remain to be explored.…”

“…Although studies 32‐34 have previously examined muscle health in masters‐level Olympic weightlifters, these reports have largely neglected to examine possible adaptations in postural control in these unique individuals. Given the task of Olympic weightlifting is associated with high‐velocity perturbations to stability and maintaining balance, 35 weightlifters likely experience adaptations in acquiring and integrating sensory information, as well as motor strategies, for maintaining balance. To date, only one study has examined balance abilities of weightlifters 35 .…”

“…Given the task of Olympic weightlifting is associated with high‐velocity perturbations to stability and maintaining balance, 35 weightlifters likely experience adaptations in acquiring and integrating sensory information, as well as motor strategies, for maintaining balance. To date, only one study has examined balance abilities of weightlifters 35 . Intriguingly, compared to healthy age‐matched controls, elite young (18‐30 years) adult weightlifters demonstrated better balance abilities under sensory conditions in which visual inputs were eliminated (ie, eyes closed) and somatosensory inputs were altered (ie, foam support surface).…”