The Effect of Swim Training Intervention on Balance and Systems Involved in Balance in Adolescents with Hearing Impairment and Vestibular Disorder

Background and purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of training intervention (v.i.z swimming) on balance and systems involved in balance especially in adolescents with hearing impairment and also with vestibular deficiency. Twenty-four deaf girls from exceptional schools in Pakdasht country, Tehran, were present as an accessible sample in this study. After obtaining the code of ethics IR.UT.SPORT.REC.1396021 and informed consent, the subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. At first, a pre-test of balance was performed under four different conditions of sensory involvement including simultaneous disorder of proprioception and vestibular, visual and vestibular, proprioception and visual and without any interference with the Biodex device. Then, an experimental group of 12 individuals (Mean age 15.50 ± 2.8) for 8 weeks (having 3 sessions per week) underwent swimming training exercises and 12 person of control group (Meanage 15.50 ± 1.9) which did not have any activity in any field. After completing the intervention training period, post-test was performed similar to pre-test. After confirming the distribution of data and homogeneity of variances, the results of multivariate analysis of variance indicated that swimming exercises had a significant effect on balance without sensory interference and vestibular balance (P = 0.0005). Therefore, it is suggested that this method of rehabilitation be used in health centers, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, exceptional schools and deaf schools in order to improve the balance of the deaf.