Dart Throwing with the Open and Closed Eyes: Kinematic Analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Motor Control

Background:

• Eye-hand coordination is crucial for skilled motor tasks like dart throwing.
• It involves complex sensory, motor, and cognitive processes, including attention and visual feedback.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the kinematic differences in dart throwing under eyes-open versus eyes-closed conditions.
• To understand the role of visual feedback and attention in the motor control of throwing accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Subjects performed dart throws in both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions.
• Kinematics of the throwing hand were recorded simultaneously during the throws.

Main Results:

• In the eyes-open condition, accurate throws showed the hand closer to the torso during the raising phase.
• After release, the hand was lower in the eyes-open condition compared to eyes-closed.
• In the eyes-closed condition, backward hand movement predicted decreased accuracy, linked to increased muscle tension.

Conclusions:

• The early phase of dart throwing is influenced by attention, while the final phase relies on visual feedback for accuracy.
• Reduced visual input (eyes-closed) increases muscle tension, impairing throwing accuracy.
• Findings have implications for sports performance enhancement and rehabilitation of hand-eye coordination deficits.