Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning

Abstract The aim of the present study was to examine the reliability and validity of
balance performance clinical tests for hearing impaired persons with moderate
hearing level. In this descriptive-survey study with repeated measures, 220 hearing
impaired subjects with normal intelligence and moderate hearing level were
selected as the statistical sample from all deaf and hearing impaired subjects who
had participated in national competitions in Arak city. The scale (3) of Cattell
Culture Fair Intelligence Test and motor performance clinical tests were used to
collect the data. After checking the date normality, data were analyzed with intraclass
and interclass correlation coefficients and factor analysis tests. The results
revealed that finger-to-noise test with dominant hand (ICC=0.79), and with nondominant
hand (ICC=0.81), time-up and go test (ICC=0.76), and tandem gait test
(ICC=0.87) were reliable. But, the dominant and non-dominant single leg stance
tests with open and closed eyes were not reliable (ICC<0.75). The validity of
balance performance clinical tests was confirmed with factor analysis test. Overall,
the finger-to-noise with dominant and non-dominant hand, the time-up and go, and
the tandem gait tests were the most stable tests to assess balance and coordination
of hearing impaired participants.

Abstract Postural control has an important role in daily activities and motor independence. In recent years, conscious aspects of postural control such as attention and cognitive processes have received attention for balance optimization performance. Therefore, the present study designed to examine the age–related differences in postural control in the internal and external focus of attention. For this purpose, displacement of the anterior–posterior, middle–lateral and speed of center of pressure (cop), 22 elderly subjects (mean+SD=59.95±2.12 year) and 22 young men (mean+SD=24.16±2.76 year) who were selected from Shahid Chamran University students and staff purposefully and by availability were measured in three 30–second trials in the internal focus and three 30-second trials in external focus using force platform. After the normality of data had been tested with Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and the equality of variance had been tested using the Levene test, data were analyzed using multivariable variance analysis, one–way variance analysis and MANOVA. Results showed that postural stability of both groups in external focus was more than internal focus. These results supported limited action hypotheses and conscious processes. Also, in both conditions, young group had more postural stability than the elderly. It seems that the weaker performance of the elderly in both external and internal conditions was due to the effects of aging on sensorimotor systems.