Improvement of functional fitness of 10–12-year-old swimmers with hearing impairments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31652/3041-2463/2026-2-5Keywords:
swimmers, aerobic endurance, physical fitness, training, functional stateAbstract
Topicality. The current stage of development of adaptive physical culture and Paralympic sport is characterized by increasing attention to improving the effectiveness of training athletes with disabilities, particularly children with hearing impairments. According to the World Health Organization, hearing impairment is one of the most common sensory deficits in the pediatric population, significantly affecting psychophysical development, motor activity level, and socialization of a child.
The purpose of the study was to improve the functional fitness of 10–12-year-old swimmers with hearing impairments. Material and methods of the research. A pedagogical experiment was conducted among 20 swimmers with hearing impairments aged 10–12 years who were at the stage of preliminary basic training. The participants were divided into two groups: a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG), with 10 athletes in each. Both groups trained according to the current swimming training programs for youth sports schools and specialized sports institutions. At the same time, athletes of the experimental group additionally performed an author’s individualized program integrated into the training process four times a week for three months.
Results of the research. The results of the formative pedagogical experiment confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed program. In particular, swimmers of the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in stroke volume, cardiac output, cardiac index, and left ventricular power (p<0.05), indicating positive adaptive changes in central hemodynamics. According to the PWC170 test, a statistically significant increase in absolute and relative physical working capacity, as well as maximal oxygen consumption (p<0.05), was recorded, confirming the expansion of aerobic reserves and an increase in overall endurance of the participants. In the control group, no significant changes in most studied indicators were observed (p>0.05), demonstrating the advantage of the experimental program over the traditional training system.
Conclusions. The obtained results provide grounds for recommending the implementation of the developed program in the practice of specialized youth sports schools and physical culture and sports institutions for children with hearing impairments in order to improve their functional fitness and strengthen somatic health.
References
1. Мірошниченко, В. М., Богуславська, В. Ю., & Сальнікова, С. В. (2021). Особливості адаптації жінок 25-35 років до оздоровчих тренувань з плавання. Науковий часопис НПУ імені М. П. Драгоманова, 2(130), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.31392/NPU-nc.series15.2021.2(130).16 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31392/NPU-nc.series15.2021.2(130).16
2. Bottari, D., Caclin, A., Giard, M.H., & Pavani, F. (2011). Changes in early cortical visual processing predict enhanced reactivity in deaf individuals. PloS one, 6(9), e25607. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025607 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0025607
3. Fellinger, M. J., Holzinger, D., Aigner, M., Beitel, C., & Fellinger, J. (2015). Motor performance and correlates of mental health in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 57(10), 942–947. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.12814 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.12814
4. Gheysen, F., Loots, G., & Van Waelvelde, H. (2008). Motor development of deaf children with and without cochlear implants. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 13(2), 215–224. DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enm053 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/enm053
5. Hartman, E., Houwen, S., & Scherder, E. (2011). On the relationship between motor performance and executive functioning in deaf children. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 16(4), 468–478. DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enr030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/deafed/enr030
6. Lee, S. (2021). Motor learning strategies in deaf swimmers: A systematic review. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 20(3), 451–463. DOI: 10.1007/s10882-015-9447-8
7. Lieberman, L. J., Stuart, M. E., Hand, K. E., & Robinson, B. E. (2013). An investigation of the motivational effects of talking pedometers among youth with visual impairments and deafblindness. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 107(5), 345–359. DOI:10.1177/0145482X1310700504 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X1310700504
8. Morais, J. E., Costa, M. J., Forte, P., Marinho, D. A., & Barbosa, T. M. (2014). Longitudinal intra- and inter-individual variability in young swimmers’ performance and determinant competition factors. Motricidade, 10(3), 292–302. https://doi.org/10.6063/motricidade.20.292 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1980-65742014000300008
9. Morais, J. E., Costa, M. J., Marinho, D. A., & Barbosa, T. M. (2017). A comparison of the anthropometric, strength and technical characteristics of young swimmers. Journal of Human Kinetics, 56, 143–152. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0030
10. Morais, J. E., Marinho, D. A., Areia, L., Barbosa, T. M. (2020). Effects of resistance training on swimming performance: A systematic review. Sports, 8(4), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8040045 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/sports8040045
11. Rajendran, V., & Roy, F. G. (2011). An overview of motor skill performance and balance in hearing impaired children. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 37, 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1824-7288-37-33 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1824-7288-37-33
12. Wilson, W. J. (2018). Strategies for Inclusion, 3rd Edition by Lauren J. Lieberman and Cathy Houston-Wilson. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 35(1), 139–140. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2017-0141 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2017-0141
13. World Health Organization. (2021). World report on hearing. Geneva: World Health Organization. ISBN:978-92-4-002048-1URL: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240020481
14. Xu, W., Li, C., & Wang, L. (2020). Physical Activity of Children and Adolescents with Hearing Impairments: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4575. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124575 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124575
15. Zwierzchowska, A. (2020). Coordination motor abilities and somatic growth of children and adolescents with hearing impairments. European Journal of Human Movement, 44, 95–110. https://doi.org/10.21134/eurjhm.44.504 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21134/eurjhm.2020.44.504
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Вікторія Богуславська , Дмитро Бойко , Олексій Сидоренко
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
