Effectiveness of visual training interventions on reaction time in athletes: A systematic review

Background: Reaction time (RT) is a crucial component of athletic performance, particularly in high-speed, decision-based sports. Visual training has emerged as a promising intervention to enhance RT by targeting perceptual and cognitive processing. This systematic review aims to synthesize existing evidence on the efficacy of visual training specifically stroboscopic training, light board exercises, visual occlusion, and perceptual-cognitive tools on improving simple and choice RT in athletes.Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted across five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORT Discus, and Google Scholar) for studies published between January 2010 and March 2024. Studies involving athletes aged 16-40 years that reported pre- and post-intervention RT outcomes following a visual training protocol were included. Data extraction and quality assessment were independently performed using the Pedro scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias tool.Results: A total of 18 studies involving 627 athletes across sports like football, basketball, handball, martial arts, and cricket were included. Interventions ranged from 2 to 8 weeks and included stroboscopic visual training (N=7), light board training (N=6), visual occlusion tasks (N=3) and 3D-MOT/Neuro Tracker programs (N=2). Seventeen studies reported statistically significant improvements in RT, with changes ranging from 5% to 27%. Choice RT showed greater improvements compared to simple RT. Stroboscopic and perceptual-cognitive methods demonstrated the most pronounced effects.Conclusion: Visual training interventions, particularly those integrating sport-specific and perceptual-cognitive elements, significantly improve reaction time in athletes. The findings support the inclusion of structured visual training within athletic conditioning programs. However, methodological variability and limited long-term follow-up warrant further high-quality randomized trials.