O'Connor, D., and Crowe, M. (2002) Visual reaction time and peripheral vision in professional Rugby League players. In: Spinks, W., Reilly, T., and Murphy, A., (eds.) Science and Football IV. Routledge, London, UK, pp. 313-319.

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Abstract

[Extract] Good visual skills, particularly quick reaction time and being aware of peripheral movement, are important skills in Rugby League. Previous studies in other areas have shown conflicting results with some authors reporting an improvement in visual reaction time (RT) with increased levels of aerobic fitness but others suggesting that RT cannot be enhanced by training. The latter group suggest that training causes changes in cognitive processing rather than any change in RT or other basic visual characteristics (for example, see Abernethy and Wood, 1992). Era et al. (1986) argue for an improvement in RT with exercise and attribute this to an increase in cerebral blood flow and oxygenation. Another study found that university professors who were classified as having high levels of physical activity performed better on simple and choice RT tasks than other professors who had low levels of physical activity (Lupinacci et aI., 1993). Sherwood and SeIder (1979) also showed that people who ran greater than 42 miles per week did not show the same decrement in RT with age as those who remained sedentary. However, implementation of a six-week walking programme in elderly subjects failed to enhance RT over a non-exercising control group of similar age (Roberts, 1990). This lack of effect of walking on RT was attributed to a failure to investigate previous exercise history but may be more likely due to an inability to significantly change RT. Abernethy and Wood (1992) showed that a four-week visual training programme did not improve general visual performance or sport specific motor performance. Improvements in choice and peripheral RT and accommodation were attributed to familiarity with the test as results were not significantly better than those of a control group (Abernethy and Wood, 1992).

Item ID:	14382
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	978-0-415-24151-9
Keywords:	peripheral vision; rugby league; visual reaction time
Related URLs:	http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9...
Date Deposited:	18 Jun 2015 03:05
FoR Codes:	11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1106 Human Movement and Sports Science > 110699 Human Movement and Sports Science not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE @ 100%
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