Postural control in blind subjects

• Main Authors: Antonio Vinicius Soares, Cláudia Silva Remor de Oliveira, Rodrigo José Knabben, Susana Cristina Domenech, Noe Gomes Borges Junior
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Israelita de Ensino e Pesquisa Albert Einstein 2011-12-01
• Series: Einstein (São Paulo)
• Subjects: Postural balance/physiology; Visual impairment persons; Blindness/congenital
• Online Access: http://apps.einstein.br/revista/arquivos/PDF/2046-Einstein_v9n4_470-476_eng.pdf

Objective: To analyze postural control in acquired and congenitally blind adults. Methods: A total of 40 visually impaired adults participated in the research, divided into 2 groups, 20 with acquired blindness and 20 with congenital blindness - 21 males and 19 females, mean age 35.8 ± 10.8. The Brazilian version of Berg Balance Scale and the motor domain of functional independence measure were utilized. Results: On Berg Balance Scale the mean for acquired blindness was 54.0 ± 2.4 and 54.4 ± 2.5 for congenitally blind subjects; on functional independence measure the mean for acquired blind group was 87.1 ± 4.8 and 87.3 ± 2.3 for congenitally blind group. Conclusion: Based upon the scale used the results suggest the ability to control posture can be developed by compensatory mechanisms and it is not affected by visual loss in congenitally and acquired blindness.