Oculomotor Exercises and Balance in Athletes

NCT07430384 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: PROT. 3373/1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 139
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this interventional study is to evaluate the effects of a six-week eye-movement exercise program on balance in athletes aged 15 to 30 years participating in basketball, football, and boxing. The main question it aims to answer whether performing daily exercises based on a standardized protocol improves balance and functional interaction among the oculomotor, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. Participants will perform six different exercises daily for 10 minutes over six weeks. During the first four weeks, exercises are performed on both legs, while in the last two weeks, exercises are performed on the dominant leg on a 10 mm rubber mat to increase vestibular challenge and stimulate functional integration among the sensory systems. Balance will be assessed using the Leonardo system and the Stork test (s), focusing on single-leg stance on the dominant leg with eyes open during the last two weeks of training. Reaction time will also be evaluated as a secondary outcome to provide additional insight into sensorimotor performance. All participants provided informed consent, and for those under 18 years of age, parental consent was obtained. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Sports of Tirana.

Conditions

Static Postural Balance; Reaction Time

Keywords

eye exercises; sport; vestibular system; visual system; static balance; reaction time

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Static balance -Stork test duration

  Static balance assessed on the dominant leg with eyes open using Stork test. Duration of maintained position was recorded. Outcome expressed as duration in seconds (s).

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and 6 weeks (post-intervention)

• Static balance-Center of pressure ellipse area

  Static balance assessed on the dominant leg with eyes open using the Leonardo Mechanograph system. Center of pressure ellipse area was recorded. Outcome expressed in (cm²).

  Baseline (pre-intervention ) and 6 weeks (post-intervention)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Static balance-Postural sway velocity

  Baseline( pre-intervention) and 6 weeks (post-intervention)

• Reaction time

  Baseline (pre-intervention) and 6 weeks (post-intervention)

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group (EG)-Oculomotor Exercise Protocol

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants perform the standardized oculomotor exercise protocol in addition to their usual sports training. Exercises are conducted daily for 10 minutes, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks. During the first four weeks, exercises are performed in a bipedal stance, and during the final two weeks, exercises are progressed to a single-leg stance on the dominant leg using a 10-mm rubber mat to increase vestibular challenge and sensory stimulation. All sessions are individually supervised by a licensed physiotherapist. Interventions: Oculomotor exercise protocol (eye stretching, smooth pursuit, gaze stabilization, spatial localization, saccades, vergence/convergence exercises)

Other: Oculomotor Exercise Protocol

Control Group (CG)-Usual Training

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants continue their usual sports training routine without additional oculomotor exercises. Interventions: None / usual sports training

Other: Usual Training

Interventions

Oculomotor Exercise Protocol OTHER

Participants perform a 6-exercise oculomotor training program specifically designed to improve postural balance through the visual-vestibular-proprioceptive systems. Each session lasts 10 minutes, conducted 5 days per week for 6 weeks. Weeks 1-4: Exercises are performed in a bipedal stance to develop basic oculomotor control. Weeks 5-6: Exercises are progressed to a single-leg stance on a 10-mm rubber mat to further challenge the vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Exercises include eye stretching, smooth pursuit, saccades, gaze stabilization, spatial localization, and vergence/convergence exercises. All sessions are supervised individually by a licensed physiotherapist. Participants continue their usual sports training during the study period. This intervention is distinct because it combines multiple oculomotor exercises over several weeks with progressive difficulty to target balance improvements in healthy athletes, unlike

Also known as: Eye Movement Exercises

Experimental Group (EG)-Oculomotor Exercise Protocol

Usual Training OTHER

Participants continue their regular sports practice routine without performing any additional oculomotor exercises. This arm serves as a comparison to evaluate the effects of the oculomotor exercise protocol, isolating the impact of the experimental intervention from routine training.

Control Group (CG)-Usual Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 15 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Age 15-30 years
• Be engaged in the relevant sports disciplines for a minimum of 12 months, a time considered sufficient for a sports specialization.
• Healthy subjects without cardiorespiratory, psychological, vestibular, or oncological pathologies, as verified by self-declaration (Questionnaire, which is available as supplementary material) and their health booklet.
• Training in the relevant disciplines 5x/week.
• Having a visual acuity of 20/20 after testing, with or without glasses/contact lenses.

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects with vertigo symptoms, with divergent/convergent strabismus
• Subjects with cardiorespiratory, psychological, vestibular, or oncological problems
• Athletes under the age of 15
• Subjects with injury in the last 12 months that required medical attention, concussion, and cognitive deficits

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sport University of Tirana: lead

Study Sites (1)

Sports University of Tirana

Tirana, Tirana, 1001, Albania

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MSC

Model Details: Participants are randomly assigned to two parallel groups: an experimental group receiving the oculomotor exercise intervention and a control group continuing their usual training. Outcome assessors are blinded to group assignment, and pre- and post-intervention measurements are collected to evaluate changes in balance and postural control.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 18, 2026
• First Posted: February 24, 2026
• Study Start: November 20, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 10, 2025
• Study Completion: July 15, 2025
• Last Updated: March 3, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

AL (1)