MASTERS VERSUS MEDIOCRE: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY OF COMPARISON OF VISUAL AND AUDITORY REACTION TIME BETWEEN ELITE ADULT MALE ATHLETES AND HEALTHY, RECREATIONALLY ACTIVE ADULT MALES
Dr. Vivekanand Upadhyay, Dr. Nidhi Singh*, Dr. Anup Krishnan, Dr. Puja Dudeja and Dr. Shraddha Raj
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Reaction time is an important motor quality which finds its use in many sports. It is particularly important in sports which require a quick start like swimming, athletics or quick response to game conditions as in boxing and kabaddi. Aim: The present study aims to find out auditory and visual reaction time of elite athletes of different sports and compare it with control. Materials and methods: 95 elite athletes were categorized as per their sports. Auditory and visual reaction timings were recorded using audio – visual reaction timer following standard protocols and compared with 56 healthy controls. Results: While the control group showed visual reaction time of (0.605 ± 0.157s) and auditory reaction time of (0.806 ± 0.392s), the studied players had better visual (0.506 ± 0.141s) (p<0.005) and auditory (0.710 ± 0.289s) (p<0.005) reaction timing. The visual reaction timings of Volleyball was(0.546 ± 0.135s) (p<0.05), Swimming (0.446 ± 0.121s) (p<0.005), Weight lifting (0.518 ± 0.102s) (p<0.05), Boxing (0.509 ± 0.092s) (p<0.05), Athletics (0.483 ± 0.134s) (p<0.005), Kayak & Canoe (0.485 ± 0.115s) (p<0.005), Kabaddi (0.636 ± 0.197s) (p>0.05) and Handball (0.452 ± 0.105s) (p<0.005) while auditory reaction timings of Volleyball was(0.708 ± 0.245) (p>0.05), Swimming (0.641 ± 0.230s) (p<0.05), Weight lifting (0.831 ± 0.440) (p>0.05), Boxing (0.698 ± 0.280) (p>0.05), Athletics (0.640 ± 0.222) (p<0.005), Kayak & Canoe (0.691 ± 0.261) (p<0.05), Kabaddi (0.871 ± 0.373) (p>0.05) and Handball (0.818 ± 0.362s) (p>0.05). Conclusion: Elite players have better reaction time than control. While athletes, swimmers and Kayak & Canoe aportsmen have better auditory reaction time, all elite players had better visual reaction time than control. Knowledge of reaction time is an important tool in talent identification as well as in differentiating the master from the mediocre.
Keywords: Reaction time is an important Kabaddi aportsmen master from the mediocre.
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