Visual Function of English Premier League Soccer Players

Roberts, James W. and Anthony, Strudwick J. and Simon, Bennett J. (2017) Visual Function of English Premier League Soccer Players. Science and Medicine in Football. ISSN 2473-4446 (Accepted for Publication)

Text Vis_Soccer_JR,AS,SB.doc - Accepted Version Download (135kB)

Abstract

Purpose: Examine visual function of soccer players of different skill level and playing position.
Methods: Elite players from an English Premier League soccer club (n=49) and intermediate players (n=31) completed an assessment on a Nike SPARQ Sensory Station of: static and dynamic visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, accommodative-vergence facility, target capture and perception span.
Results: There was no difference between elite and intermediate players for all measures. However, competitive soccer players (elite, intermediate) did exhibit better performance in acuity-based measures of visual function and accommodative-vergence compared to a population of healthy non-athletic adults (n=230). With regards to player position, defensive players showed quicker accommodative-vergence facility compared to offensive players.
Conclusion: Visual function of competitive soccer players is superior to non-athletic adults, but does not differentiate the elite and intermediate player. However, defensive players do exhibit faster accommodative-vergence than offensive players. We suspect that this particular visual function is advantageous for defenders given the greater demand to continually shift gaze between players located at near and far locations.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information and Comments:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Science and Medicine in Football. on [date of publication], available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/24733938.2017.1330552
Keywords:	visual function, soccer, elite, playing position, accommodative-vergence
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Health and Sport Sciences
Depositing User:	James Roberts
Date Deposited:	15 May 2017 10:40
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2017 08:29
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/1964

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