earticle

영어

This study was conducted to compare muscular strength and balance of athletes with visual and hearing impairment. The study was carried out with 20 athletes of national Olympic level sports goalball team and 20 athletes of national Olympic level sports hearing-impaired karate team. Isokinetic muscular strength was assessed by IsoMed 2000 de-vice as concentric-concentric at 60°/sec and 240°/sec. Balance as-sessment was carried out with the Human Body Equilibrium 360 device. There was no significant difference between groups regarding age, height, weight and body mass index (P>0.05). There were no differenc-es between the dominant and nondominant knee flexion and extension peak torque (PT), % of flexion/extension PT ratio, % of dominant/non-dominant PT differences at 60°/sec and 240°/sec velocities (P>0.05). There was no difference between the groups regarding of both leg static balance (P>0.05). However, single leg standing balance was sig-nificantly different between groups in favor of athletes with hearing im-pairment (P<0.001). As a result of our study it was determined that muscular strength and static balance of athletes with visual and hear-ing impairment were similar, but athletes with visual problems are likely to have lower levels of single leg balance. Strategies to promote single leg balance in athletes with visual impairments are warranted.