Effects of Visual and Auditory Perturbations on Ski-Specific Balance among Males and Females—A Randomized Crossover Trial

Martin Niedermeier, Elena Pocecco, Carolin Hildebrandt, Christian Raschner, Peter Federolf, Martin Kopp and Gerhard Ruedl
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Martin Niedermeier: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Elena Pocecco: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Carolin Hildebrandt: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Christian Raschner: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Peter Federolf: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Martin Kopp: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Gerhard Ruedl: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-9

Abstract: Injuries in skiing show sex-specific differences, especially when visual perception is reduced. Reduced visual perception impairs balance, which plays an important role in avoiding skiing injuries. However, males and females might cope differently with reduced visual perception. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate sex-related effects of environmental perturbations (reduced visual perception and listening to music) on ski-specific balance. Using a crossover design, ski-specific balance was tested in 50 young adults (50% female) in four conditions: with and without listening to music and/or with and without reduced visual perception (ski goggles with occlusion foil). A four × two (condition by sex) mixed ANOVA revealed a significant condition by sex interaction, partial η ² = 0.06. Females showed an increase in balance from the condition without music/with normal visual perception to the condition with music/with normal visual perception, while males showed a decrease. Balance was significantly higher in females compared to males, partial η ² = 0.31. The findings suggest that balance is affected differently by environmental perturbations in females and males. However, the differences observed were not in line with our initial hypotheses, which might be because the model was too simplistic for how visual/auditory perturbations may affect balance.

Keywords: skiing; anterior cruciate ligament; environment; knee injuries; postural stability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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