Differentiated influence of off-road and on-road cycling practice on balance control and the related-neurosensory organization.

This study aimed to determine the sensorimotor strategies privileged by mountain bikers (MTB) and road cyclists (RC) for balance control. Twenty-four MTB and 24 RC (off-road Olympics, world, continental and national champions, Tour-de-France participants, on-road world cup race winner) volunteered to answer a questionnaire about the characteristics of cycling practice and perform a sensory organization test, aiming to evaluate balance control in 6 different sensory situations based upon visual and support surface perturbations (C1(ES) to C6(ES)). RC balance performances were better than those of MTB both during quiet stance eyes opened (C1(ES), p=0.

Cognitive processing and motor skill learning in motor-handicapped teenagers: effects of learning method.

This study aimed to assess the efficiency of a motor skill learning method intended to promote learning course personalization through an increase in cognitive processing deployment in motor-handicapped persons. Thirty-three secondary school students volunteered to participate in an archery motor skill learning session, 11 motor-handicapped (MH(1)) and 11 able-bodied (AB) teenagers following a standard learning method, and 11 motor-handicapped teenagers following a cognitive enriched learning method (MH(2)) based on the use of an individually written and illustrated document. The results showed that MH(1) displayed lower performances than AB, both in terms of the mental representations of the movements expected and performed and of efficiency of the movement.

Cognitive task fulfilment may decrease gaze control performances.

Human cognitive processing limits can lead to difficulties in performing two tasks simultaneously. In this respect, the mobilization of attentional resources seems to be more important in voluntary than in reflexive visuo-oculomotor movements. With this in mind, this study aimed to determine the differentiated effects of carrying out cognitive tasks on reflexive and voluntary movements generated by the visuo-oculomotor system.

Why do idiopathic scoliosis patients participate more in gymnastics?

The influence of physical and sporting activities (PSA) on idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is still obscure. The aim of this study was to investigate whether such an influence exists and if so, to determine its characteristics. Two hundred and one teenagers with IS and a control group of 192 adolescents completed an epidemiological questionnaire.