Author(s): GUERRIERO , M., MOSCATELLI, F., MANCINI, N., RUBERTO, M., CAGGIANO, A., GROSU, E. F. MANIU, D. A., MANIU, E. A., FRATINI, T., ENACHE, A. V., COLECCHIA, F. P., Institution: UNIVERSITÀ DI FOGGIA , Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 2282

INTRODUCTION:
For visually impaired people, postural balance (PB) is a significant difficulty that affects their quality of life and motor development. Physical activity, particularly strength training, is advised by the WHO guidelines to improve function and well-being in children with disabilities [1]. Dynamic and static balance are worse in people with visual impairments [2], whereas athletes have better balance than sedentary people [2]. Plyometric and balance exercises in the school curriculum can enhance both dynamic and static balance in children whose balance is still developing [3], and postural control can also be improved [4].
The aim of this study is to assess and improve balance in students visually impaired engaged in 15-week plyometric training.

METHODS:
A RCT is conducted from February 2025, with 36 students randomly split into an experimental group and a control group. For balance assessment, a balance board measurement was used with parameters such as center of pressure, weight distribution, plantar pressure, and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2).
RESULTS:
According to preliminary results, equilibrium is greatly impacted by changing the support surface or lowering the visual component. Students can maintain the position in bipodal support for over ten seconds (AVG 3, SD 0.90) with variation in monopodal. Students find it difficult to hold the stance for longer than 3 to 5 seconds with eyes closed, and the average drops to 2.9 (SD 0.79). With AVG ranging from 2.3 to 2.7, the difficulty rises when on a beam, indicating difficulties sustaining stability. These findings confirm stabilometric analyses that reveal oscillations due to increasing CoP distance and speed.
CONCLUSION:
According to the results, students with visual impairments can greatly increase their stability and quality of life by participating in a school balance program.
References:
1) WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2020.
2) Zarei, H., Norasteh, A. A., Lieberman, L. J., Ertel, M. W., & Brian, A. (2023). Balance Control in Individuals With Visual Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Motor Control, 27(4), 677-704. Retrieved Feb 12, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1123/mc.2022-0127
3) Chaouachi, A., Othman, A. B., Hammami, R., Drinkwater, E. J., & Behm, D. G. (2014). The combination of plyometric and balance training improves sprint and shuttle run performances more often than plyometric-only training with children. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(2), 401–412. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3182987059
4) Jouira, G., Borji, R., Waer, F. B., Srihi, S., Rebai, H., & Sahli, S. (2024). Impact of neuromuscular training, including balance, strength, and plyometric exercises, on static and dynamic balance in high-level male runners with mild intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(3), e13211. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13211