Motor Behavior

Immediate Effects of Smooth Pursuit Eye-Movement Training, Controlled Breathing, and Their Combination on Dynamic Balance in Young Athletes

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Sina Maleki 1
Shahzad Tahmasebi Boroujeni 2
Amir Abbasqolipour 1
Uwe Ilg 3

1 University of Tehran

2 Professor. Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences in Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Cognitive Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

10.22089/mbj.2026.19365.2275
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of eye tracking, controlled breathing, and their combination on dynamic balance in young athletes. The present study was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and three intervention groups. Data from 39 young athletes in three groups of 13 including controlled breathing, eye tracking, and combination were analyzed. Dynamic balance was assessed using the Y-balance test in three directions: anterior, posterior-internal, and posterior-external, as well as the total balance score. The main analysis was performed using a two-time × three-group composite analysis of variance.The results showed that the main effect of time, the main effect of group, and the interaction of time × group did not change significantly for any of the indices. However, the interaction of time × group for the posterior-external direction and the total score was close to the border of significance. Descriptively, the combination group showed a decrease in performance in all four indices; while the eye-tracking group showed an improvement in most indices. Accordingly, one intervention session is not sufficient to produce a definitive change in dynamic balance; however, the observed pattern could indicate a short-term interference between visuomotor control, voluntary regulation of breathing, and postural control.

Keywords

Dynamic balance
Smooth pursuit eye movements
Controlled breathing
Postural control
Young athletes
Subjects
Motor Behavior

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 13 October 2026

  • Receive Date 17 May 2026
  • Revise Date 27 September 2026
  • Accept Date 05 October 2026

Home

Reviewers

Submit Manuscript

Publication Ethics

news

Journal Metrics

Contact Us