ORIGINAL ARTICLES  PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2011 June;51(2):227-32

Copyright © 2011 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Can baseball improve balance in blind subjects?

Marini M. ¹, Sarchielli E. ¹, Portas M. F. ¹, Ranieri V. ², Meli A. ², Piazza M. ¹, Sgambati E. ³, Monaci M. ¹ ✉

¹ Department of Anatomy Histology and Forensic Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; ² Italian Baseball Association for Blind, Bologna, Italy; ³ Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy

AIM: Baseball, one of the most popular sports in the world, is a fast-moving sport that requires various motor abilities. Baseball is played also by blind subjects that participate in many other sports. In this study, we evaluated the role of the Italian modified version of baseball for blind subjects on balance.
METHODS:This modified version of baseball maintains the fast-moving characteristic ensuring the athlete safety. Forty total blind subjects were enrolled: 20 baseball athletes and 20 sedentary participants, as control. The balance was evaluated using the Fukuda Test and Tinetti Test, both in silence and in noise.
RESULTS: This baseball game may help to improve the balance ability in blind subjects. The balance was significantly improved in blind athletes as compared with blind sedentary subjects.
CONCLUSION: Given the peculiar characteristics of play, this modified version of baseball seems effective in improving various motor skills that, once transferred into daily activities, may significantly ameliorate the quality of life of blind subjects.