A Scoping Review on Para Judo.

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Disability Studies
• Judo Research

Background:

• Para judo is a growing Paralympic sport.
• Understanding the specific needs and characteristics of visually impaired judokas is crucial for sport development.
• Existing literature requires comprehensive synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize the existing research on Para judo.
• To identify key research themes concerning athletes with visual impairments in judo.
• To inform future research and practice in Para judo.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed.
• Systematic literature searches were conducted across major databases (WOS, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Scopus) up to July 2022.
• Keywords included 'judo' combined with various terms for visual impairment and 'Paralympic'.
• 44 studies were analyzed, categorized into physical fitness, performance/sport class, and physical/mental health.

Main Results:

• Visually impaired judokas exhibit similar physical fitness levels to able-sighted judokas.
• Para judo has a notable incidence of injuries, not correlated with the degree of visual impairment.
• Recent regulatory changes separating partially sighted and functionally blind judokas are supported by temporal combat analysis and sport class research.

Conclusions:

• Para judo research reveals comparable fitness levels between visually impaired and sighted athletes.
• Injury prevention strategies in Para judo should be prioritized, irrespective of visual impairment.
• The current sport classification system in Para judo is scientifically supported, enhancing fair competition.