18 Age Period’s Effect on Balance, Agility, Reaction Time and Movement Speed on the Hearing Impaired People

Abstract

In this study the comparison of the hearing impaired youth’s, who are under and over 18 years old, agility, balance, reaction time and movement speed were done and 18 age period’s effect on these parameters was researched. There were 33 under 18 and 23 over 18, totally 56 hearing impaired male participated to the study voluntarily. Volunteers’ motoric characteristics such as; body weight, balance, agility, reaction time and movement speed were measured. In the determination of volunteers age identity information was taken into consideration, their heights were measured in terms of cm and weights were measured in terms of kg. For the measuring of the volunteers static balance performance the stork stand test, for the agility’s measurement the t test, for the reaction time and movement speed the Nelson Reaction Time Scale were used. Measurements were recorded at the best degree by three times repeating. In the determination of the difference between groups in the independent groups the t test was applied and the continuity level was accepted as p<0.05. In the result of study it was determined that there was not a meaningful difference found in the body height, body weight, balance and agility performance between groups (p>0.05), in the hand, foot reaction time and movement speed values differences were determined meaningful for the people who are under 18 (pz<0.01). Consequently, when the acquired findings were considered, it was seen that static balance and agility performances of the hearing impaired individuals were not depending on age and the reaction time and movement speed were depending on age factor. In results of these findings, it is thought that on the hearing impaired individuals depending on age’s increasing the reaction time and hand-eye coordination develop. Again, there should be plenty of repetitive similar researches required.