The Effect of Stroboscopic Vision Training on Blind-folded Straight-line Walking

Sep 5, 2026

Stroboscopic vision training is associated with improvements in visual-motor control and dynamic visual acuity in sport, yet evidence for its impact on kinesthetic awareness during walking is limited. This pre-posttest quasi-experimental study evaluated whether a four-week progressive protocol alters sensorimotor performance during a blindfolded straight-line walk. Thirty-seven healthy college-aged participants completed PRE and POST walking trials and provided deviation-angle outcomes for analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

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Introduction

Original Research The Effect of Stroboscopic Vision Training on Blind-folded Straight-line Walking SAIRA TALWAR†1, JOHNERIC W. SMITH‡2, and JOHNATHAN LAMBERTH‡2 1School of Nursing, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI, USA; 2Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA †Denotes graduate student author,‡Denotes professional author ABSTRACT International Journal of Exercise Science 17(1): 438-444, 2024. Stroboscopic vision training has shown to improve visual-motor control and dynamic visual acuity in sport performance; however, no studies have considered using this training to enhance kinesthetic awareness during walking, applicable to high fall-risk populations. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of stroboscopic vision training on blindfolded straight-line walking. Methods: Thirty-seven college-aged healthy participants (age: 20.14 􀁲 1.23 years; females: N = 32, males: N = 5) completed this study. In this pre-posttest quasi-experimental investigation, participants with no epileptic or balance disorder history completed a four-week progressive stroboscopic vision training protocol. To assess sensorimotor feedback participants were instructed to walk a 27.5 m straight line while blindfolded. PRE and POST blind-folded straight line walk tests were completed and deviations from endpoint were measured. A paired-samples t-test was used to analyze the calculated deviation angles. Results: Significant difference was noted from PRE (14.48 􀁲 5.95) to POST (11.60 􀁲 6.78) deviation angles (t(36) = 2.71, p = 0.01) . Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the effects of stroboscopic training on a vision restricted walking task, which demands feedback re-weighting. These findings may be valuable for clinical settings or performance where reliance on non-visual systems may be beneficial. KEY WORDS: Sensorimotor, feedback re-weighting, proprioception, postural coordination INTRODUCTION Closed-loop feedback from proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular systems provide information to maintain stability and postural control during locomotion (14). Specifically, the visual system provides essential cues to augment walking and sport performance in clinical (8) and healthy populations (1, 12) . Manipulation of one or more sensorimotor systems redirects the central nervous system to rely on the information provided to maintain coordination, also known as“sensory re-weighting”(4, 15). For instance, by disrupting vision, greater reliance is applied to somatosensory and vestibular feedback for task execution. Previous research has used vision training to enhance visual-motor control (3) and dynamic visual acuity (11), with downstream translation to drills or competition (8, 12) . Thus, by training with limited visual feedback, * Corresponding Author: Saira Talwar; [Email:talwarsaira@gmail.com](Email:talwarsaira@gmail.com) performance during often encountered suboptimal conditions or when vision is ideal, the reintroduced stimuli may cause greater sensitivity resulting in better outcomes (1) . This concept is the foundation of stroboscopic devices, which allow for intermittent perturbations to the visual system (1, 10) . Previous research using stroboscopic eyewear has reported improved vision (3), attention (2), anticipatory timing (18), sport performance (12), and motion sickness (16) after training. As previously mentioned, the vision occlusion training, which may even result in immediate performance benefits (18), re-weights the reliance on other sensory input for later outcome improvements. For example, when a football receiver or baseball outfielder is running to catch a ball, they often cannot rely merely on vision to estimate the destination of the ball. Therefore, contribution of kinesthetic and vestibular senses adapt for optimal performance in the environment or suboptimal condition. Although much of the previous applicable research has focused on

FAQs

What was the purpose of the study?

The study assessed the effect of stroboscopic vision training on blindfolded straight-line walking.

How was stroboscopic vision training administered?

Participants completed a four-week progressive stroboscopic vision training protocol and then performed blindfolded straight-line walk tests before and after training.

What did the results show?

Deviation angles during blindfolded straight-line walking differed significantly from PRE to POST, indicating improved performance after training.

Sep 5, 2026

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