Sport Experience and Task Complexity Modulate Dynamic Visual Acuity During Different Balance and Physical Exertion...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Human Movement Science
• Visual Performance

Background:

• Athletes generally exhibit enhanced dynamic visual acuity (DVA) in seated conditions compared to the general population.
• Limited research exists on whether this DVA advantage persists during dynamic activities like standing and walking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare DVA performance in athletes versus recreationally-active students across seated, standing, and walking conditions.
• To investigate how different motion complexities (random vs. horizontal) affect DVA in these groups.

Main Methods:

• A custom DVA task using a moving Tumbling 'E' was administered to interuniversity athletes and students.
• Participants performed the task under four conditions: seated, standing, low-intensity walking, and moderate-intensity walking.
• Dynamic visual acuity (logMAR) and response time were measured, with changes calculated relative to the seated condition.

Main Results:

• Athletes showed improved DVA from seated to all dynamic conditions during random-motion tasks, while students' DVA worsened.
• Both groups responded faster during moderate-intensity walking for random-motion tasks.
• No significant differences in DVA accuracy or response time were found for horizontal-motion tasks between groups.

Conclusions:

• Athletes demonstrate superior dynamic visual acuity during standing and walking, particularly with unpredictable visual stimuli, compared to recreationally-active individuals.
• The complexity of visual-spatial-temporal properties in DVA tasks influences performance differences between athletes and non-athletes.
• This suggests that athletic training may enhance the ability to process dynamic visual information under challenging conditions.