Eye-hand and eye-foot visual reaction times of young soccer players.

The aim of this study was to investigate the eye-hand and eye-foot visual reaction time among young soccer players and to compare those with non-soccer players in order to evaluate possible differences.A vision screening of 53 young male soccer players belonging to the Valencia Soccer Club was done. Soccer players were divided in three categories, with mean ages of 8.2 +/- 0.5 years (range, 8- to 9-year olds), 10.6 +/- 0.2 years (range, 10- to 11-year-olds), and 12.7 +/- 0.3 years (range, 12- to 13-year-olds). An age-matched sample of 60 young male non-soccer players served as a control population. Mean ages in this population were 8.3 +/- 0.6 years, 10.5 +/- 0.4 years, and 12.6 +/- 0.2 years for each category, respectively. Eye-hand and eye-foot visual reaction times were determined in players and non-players by means of a computer-controlled stimuli device.We obtained a mean and standard deviation value (in seconds) of eye-hand reaction time in soccer players of 0.301 +/- 0.037, 0.256 +/- 0.040, and 0.207 +/- 0.031, respectively, for each category, and for non-soccer players of 0.382 +/- 0.061, 0.320 +/- 0.063, and 0.282 +/- 0.043, respectively. The values for eye-foot reaction time in players were: 0.412 +/- 0.062, 0.406 +/- 0.046, and 0.387 +/- 0.034, respectively, for each category, and for nonplayers of 0.496 +/- 0.081, 0.460 +/- 0.026, and 0.446 +/- 0.054, respectively. There are statistically significant differences between eye-hand and eye-foot reaction times between players and nonplayers (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between visual reaction times and age (p > 0.05).Eye-hand and eye-foot visual reaction times were found to be different between the two populations evaluated. The results show differences between soccer and non-soccer players, with the soccer players demonstrating faster reaction times.