Mohammad Khani K, Karimizadeh Ardakani M, Mansori M H. Investigating the Relationship Between Lower Limb Flexibility With Motor Function and Risk of Falling in Visually Impaired Individuals. PTJ 2021; 11 (2) :93-102
URL:
http://ptj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-457-en.html
1- Department of Health and Sport Medicine, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract: (2721 Views)
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the flexibility of the ankle and knee joints and to determine its relationship with balance, motor function, and risk of falling in visually impaired individuals.
Methods: The sample consisted of 32 blind males, 20-30 years old. They were selected by the purposeful sampling method. We used modified stork tests, tendon gait, and Berg balance scale to evaluate their balance. The Tinetti test was used to evaluate motor performance and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test to assess the risk of falling. The SLR test and Lunge test were used to assess the range of motion of the knee and ankle joint, respectively. This study was conducted in the men’s dormitories of Tehran University in the fall of 2019. The obtained data were normalized using the Shapiro-Wilk test and Pearson correlation coefficient at the significant level of 0.05 to investigate the relationship between the variables.
Results: The results of the Pearson correlation test showed a significant relationship between balance (P=0.001), motor function (P=0.002), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.010) (ankle motor restriction). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between balance (P=0.002), motor function (P=0.001), and TUG fall risk test (P=0.003) with hamstring flexibility test (knee motor restriction).
Conclusion: Given the significant relationship between the range of motion of the lower limbs with balance and motor function, the use of stretching exercises can be an influential factor in increasing the range of motion of the ankle and knee in blind people, which improves balance, motor function, and reduced risk of falling in blindness.
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● People who are blind had limited mobility in each dominant and non-dominant limb of the ankle and knee joints.
● There is a significant relationship between ankle and knee flexibility with balance, motor function and risk of falling in visually impaired Individuals.
● The use of stretching exercises can be an effective factor in increasing the range of motion of the lower limb joints of visually impaired Individuals.
Plain Language Summary
Blindness knows no borders and can affect people regardless of age, gender, nationality, religion, race and social and economic class. Visual impairment both psychologically and physically affects a person's daily and natural activities and causes problems in orientation, accurate and correct movement in the direction of joint movement, social dependence and decreased self-confidence. As a result of these people, due to the fear of injury during movement and daily activities, the amount of physical activity decreases and the person may become sedentary. Decreased exercise and inactivity is one of the things that blind people deal with, which can lead to dysfunction of various joints in the body. Decreased range of motion can occur due to lack of proper exercise and low mobility. As a result, joint activity, muscle length, and range of motion of the joints are also affected, and in the end, the entire musculoskeletal, nervous, and joint systems of the body are disrupted, which also causes dislocation and damage in these organs.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
Special Received: 2020/06/14 | Accepted: 2020/10/10 | Published: 2021/04/1