Designing an accessible home-based muscle strengthening program for blind and low-vision adults

Area of Science:

• Exercise Science
• Assistive Technology
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Individuals with blindness and low vision (BLV) face barriers to physical activity, increasing risks of inactivity and sedentary behavior.
• Despite challenges, muscle strengthening exercises offer significant benefits for BLV individuals, including improved balance and reduced fall risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate accessible instructional content for muscle strengthening exercises tailored to BLV individuals.
• To implement a web-based, voice-controlled audio system for home-based exercise support.

Main Methods:

• Exercise specialists created muscle strengthening exercise scripts for BLV individuals.
• 277 BLV adults evaluated script clarity and usability via an online survey.
• A web-based audio player with voice command control was developed for audio guidance.

Main Results:

• Scripts for 25 exercises were deemed to have acceptable cognitive load and supported independent practice.
• The audio player system was rated highly accessible by a blind software developer.
• Further evaluation with BLV end-users is recommended.

Conclusions:

• Systematically designed exercise instructions and accessible interfaces are crucial for effective home-based exercise programs for BLV individuals.
• This study provides a foundation for developing accessible exercise interventions for the BLV population.