Didactic unit based on goalball Effects on balance and reaction time in schoolchildren without visual impairment
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Para-sports as a core component of educational content constitute a key space for motor development and the promotion of inclusive practices within the school context. In this context, adapted sports such as goalball have emerged as pedagogical tools that foster participation and raise awareness of disability; however, scientific evidence regarding the development of motor skills in students without disabilities remains limited. To evaluate the effect of a goalball-based didactic unit on static balance, dynamic balance, and reaction time in secondary school students simulating a visual impairment. A quantitative quasi-experimental study was conducted. The sample consisted of 22 school students (mean age = 16.83 ± 0.54 years) from an educational institution in south-central Chile. The intervention was eight weeks in duration and comprised nine sessions, applied under two conditions: with visual restriction (blindfolded) and without visual restriction. Static balance was assessed using the Flamingo Balance Test, dynamic balance using the Y Balance Test, and reaction time using the Plate Tapping Test. Significant improvements were observed in static balance (p = .008; η² = .16), with large effect sizes in both conditions and a greater magnitude of improvement in the blindfolded condition. Dynamic balance showed slight increases, reaching significance only in the non-blindfolded condition, while reaction time did not exhibit significant changes. The goalball-based didactic unit primarily enhances static postural control and proprioceptive stimulation in students without visual impairment, confirming its value as a pedagogical resource in physical education.
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