Examining the ability to track multiple moving targets as a function of postural stability: a comparison between team sports players and sedentary individuals
Metadatos
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PeerJ
Materia
Multiple object tracking Postural stability Athletes Non-athletes Sport training Team ball sports Motor control
Fecha
2022-09-02Referencia bibliográfica
Zwierko T... [et al.] 2022. Examining the ability to track multiple moving targets as a function of postural stability: a comparison between team sports players and sedentary individuals. PeerJ 10:e13964 DOI [10.7717/peerj.13964]
Resumen
Background: The ability to track multiple objects plays a key role in team ball sports
actions. However, there is a lack of research focused on identifying multiple object
tracking (MOT) performance under rapid, dynamic and ecologically valid
conditions. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effects of manipulating postural
stability on MOT performance.
Methods: Nineteen team sports players (soccer, basketball, handball) and sixteen
sedentary individuals performed the MOT task under three levels of postural stability
(high, medium, and low). For the MOT task, participants had to track three out of
eight balls for 10 s, and the object speed was adjusted following a staircase procedure.
For postural stability manipulation, participants performed three identical protocols
(randomized order) of the MOT task while standing on an unstable platform, using
the training module of the Biodex Balance System SD at levels 12 (high-stability),
eight (medium-stability), and four (low-stability).
Results: We found that the ability to track moving targets is dependent on the
balance stability conditions (F2,66 = 8.7, p < 0.001, η² = 0.09), with the disturbance of
postural stability having a negative effect on MOT performance. Moreover, when
compared to sedentary individuals, team sports players showed better MOT scores
for the high-stability and the medium-stability conditions (corrected p-value = 0.008,
Cohen’s d = 0.96 and corrected p-value = 0.009, Cohen’s d = 0.94; respectively)
whereas no differences were observed for the more unstable conditions (lowstability)
between-groups.
Conclusions: The ability to track moving targets is sensitive to the level of postural
stability, with the disturbance of balance having a negative effect on MOT
performance. Our results suggest that expertise in team sports training is transferred
to non-specific sport domains, as shown by the better performance exhibited by team
sports players in comparison to sedentary individuals. This study provides novel
insights into the link between individual’s ability to track multiple moving objects
and postural control in team sports players and sedentary individuals.