Optimal methods for estimating sports vision in kendo athletes

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Sports vision testing is crucial for athletic performance.
• Standardized sports vision tests are used in Japan, but their necessity and optimal combination require investigation.
• Kendo practitioners represent a relevant population for studying sports-specific visual demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of eight standard sports vision tests in differentiating athletes from non-athletes.
• To determine if all eight tests are necessary for comprehensive sports vision assessment.
• To identify the optimal combination of tests for assessing visual function in kendo practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of kendo practitioners (n=41) and a non-exercise group (n=65) on eight standard sports vision tests.
• Statistical analysis including correlation and logistic regression to identify significant tests and their relationships.
• Performance comparison between groups on static visual acuity, kinetic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, dynamic visual acuity, and eye/hand coordination.

Main Results:

• Significant differences between groups were found in static visual acuity, kinetic visual acuity, and eye/hand coordination.
• High correlation (r=0.75) between static and kinetic visual acuity; moderate correlations for contrast sensitivity and dynamic visual acuity with other measures.
• Logistic regression identified static visual acuity, visual reaction time, and eye/hand coordination as the optimal model, indicating not all eight tests are essential.

Conclusions:

• A reduced set of three tests (static visual acuity, visual reaction time, eye/hand coordination) is sufficient for assessing visual function in kendo.
• This optimized model can inform targeted visual training for kendo practitioners.
• The methodology can be adapted to develop sport-specific visual assessment models for other athletic disciplines.