Main contraindications to sports for people with myopia.

Many people believe that myopia does not interfere with playing sports, but they are deeply mistaken. As with other complex diseases, myopia should be addressed Special attention on the approach to choosing a sport and permitted loads.

For myopic people, it is imperative to correctly identify contraindications. Doctors must monitor the condition of the organ of vision. Sports can be good for the eyes with myopia and help stabilize it, but it can also be bad for the eyes and cause blindness. This depends on the degree of myopia, as well as on the structure of the chosen sport and sports loads.

Features of playing sports for myopia and farsightedness

Myopia (myopia, from the Greek “myo” - squinting and “opsis” - looking) is a change in the shape of the eye from round to oval, due to which the refraction of light within it is disrupted, and light rays passing through the eyeball are focused in front of the retina, and not on her. Therefore, nearsighted people see objects that are far away as blurry. In this case, the retinal cells located in the zone of maximum light sensitivity are rarefied and stretched. This is the main reason why doctors prohibit activities related to jumping, hitting, straining and the possibility of getting a traumatic brain injury - because high risk retinal rupture or detachment.

With farsightedness, for example, the eye is not elongated, but flattened, and the retina does not stretch as critically as with myopia. Therefore, farsighted people in sports are almost always given “ green light", By at least, ophthalmologists.

However, the diagnosis of “myopia” in itself is not final verdict, which puts an end to sports. Firstly, it can be congenital and acquired. The second, naturally, is more dangerous.

Secondly, the degree of myopia matters. Officially distinguish:

• weak myopia - up to 3 diopters
• average myopia - from 3 to 6 diopters
• severe myopia - above 6 diopters

Up to 3 diopters, as a rule, there are no restrictions on physical activity. From 5 diopters - doctors are cautious in giving permission to play sports, even in the absence degenerative changes on the fundus. In this case, novice athletes will have to forget about weightlifting, boxing, all types of wrestling, acrobatics and artistic gymnastics. Over 6 diopters is the maximum limitation, regardless of sports ranks and achievements.

Thirdly, this gradation is very arbitrary, since with -1 vision you can have progressive myopia (when it increases by one or more diopters per year). Then the doctor will think carefully about what conclusion to give you. Or you can walk around with -3 all your life, do boxing, wrestling and lifting iron, and your eyes will feel great. Well, maybe not exactly excellent, but no less than -3.

And fourthly, to summarize the previous two points, restrictions on playing sports are imposed not in accordance with the degree of myopia, but based on changes inside the eye. For example, it is much worse and more dangerous when, with weak myopia, hemorrhages are visible in the fundus of the eye and the retina is weakened than a stable condition with average myopia.

If your myopia does not progress, you should definitely engage in some kind of sport. If it is impossible to play sports with glasses and contact lenses, then you can take off your glasses during classes. If you cannot use glasses, but visual acuity is necessary, then in such cases you need to use contact lenses worn directly on the eyeball.

When myopia develops, you cannot engage in sports with great physical stress (boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, etc.).

If a person has myopia of more than 4 diopters, then doctors should not allow him to play sports. Myopia may progress during exercise, in which case the athlete should stop playing sports or reduce the load.

Playing sports can have a positive effect on vision stabilization. Big advantages They are given sports games, swimming, skiing, mountain sports.

When limiting physical activity myopic people there is a deterioration in blood supply various organs, including the eyes, and deterioration in the ability to accommodate. However, as researchers note, not all physical exercise will be useful for people with myopia. The most useful are cyclic exercises of medium intensity (running, swimming), in which the heart rate remains at the level of 100-140 beats per minute. By causing blood flow to the eyes, these exercises improve the functioning of the ciliary muscle of the eye and normalize circulation intraocular fluid. High-intensity cyclic exercises, as well as acrobatics, jumping, exercises on gymnastic apparatus, causing an increase in heart rate up to 180 beats per minute, lead to significant long-term ocular ischemia, and are therefore contraindicated for myopic people.

A decrease in general physical activity and physical inactivity, combined with significant visual stress, which is often found among schoolchildren and students, contributes to the development and progression of myopia. To prevent the occurrence and treatment of myopia in children and youth, a combination of physical exercises aimed at general development, with special exercises that improve blood supply to the eyes and cause strengthening of the ciliary muscle.

In order to correctly assess the possibility of engaging in certain types of physical education and sports, it is necessary to focus on the existing criteria for dividing students and schoolchildren into groups in accordance with the degree of myopia and the presence or absence of complications and changes in the fundus. According to this methodology, there are main, preparatory and special groups for classes physical culture. Students with farsightedness or myopia greater than 6 diopters, chronic or degenerative eye diseases and changes in the fundus of the eye should study individual program under the supervision of a doctor in special group. IN preparatory group All students with farsightedness or nearsightedness of 3 to 6 diopters should be referred. If refractive errors do not exceed 3 diopters, students can attend physical education classes in the main group.

Students and schoolchildren with weak degree myopia or hypermetropia are beneficial sport games, during which there is a constant switching of vision alternately to close and far distances. Sports such as volleyball, basketball or table tennis have a beneficial effect on the accommodative ability of the eyes and train the eye muscles, preventing the progression of pathological changes organ of vision.

Students with moderate myopia or farsightedness should limit the intensity of physical education classes, as well as types of physical activity such as jumping (long jumping, high jumping, high jumping, etc.). Their physical education classes must be supplemented with special exercises aimed at strengthening the eye muscles, eye gymnastics, physical therapy.

At high degree myopia, complications and changes in the fundus of the eye, a significant limitation of types of physical activity is indicated. Myopia and sports are not compatible in cases of engaging in sports disciplines such as boxing and wrestling, jumping, tennis and football, skiing, weightlifting, cycling or equestrian sports. Dosed cyclic exercises under the supervision of a doctor (running, swimming, race walking, shooting, rowing, fencing).

Exercise therapy for myopia

Patients with mild myopia and medium degree To improve your vision, you need to perform the following exercises daily to strengthen your muscles. It is necessary to include in all complexes the exercise “mark on glass” to train the ciliary muscle.

Sample exercises to improve vision:

A) The exercise is done standing, hands placed on the back of the head. First, raise your arms up, bend, then return to your current position. Do it 7 times.

For many years, doctors were of the opinion that a person with any abnormalities or diseases should be limited only to physical therapy. In fact, access to sports was denied to people with congenital anomalies of cardio-vascular system, respiratory tract and especially myopic. Yuri Vlasov, one of the strongest athletes in Russia, is an exception: “I remember how our ophthalmologist tried to free me from physical education. What would she say, poor thing, if she found out about my constant training or saw me swinging a hefty piece of iron?

Fortunately, over the past decade, physicians' views on communication physical activity health has changed. If in the 60s Amosov, who forced patients after heart surgery to do physical exercise, was looked upon almost as a murderer (although his patients returned to active activity much faster), now many people recommend using not only aerobics, but also weight training.

In this article we will look at the impact of force loads on the visual organs and try to understand how you can strengthen weak vision without harming yourself.

Anatomy of the eye and causes of vision disorders

Roughly speaking, the eyeball is a roughly spherical body suspended in the orbit by an annular ligament. On the side of the hole there is the cornea, then the lens and vitreous. On back wall there is a photosensitive retina. The eyeball is surrounded by muscles that regulate its position and constrict or dilate the pupil, as well as change the “optical characteristics” of the eye, which allows you to see both distant and close objects equally clearly.

Disruption of the eye muscles leads to the fact that the focusing of vision loses clarity. Diseases such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and myopia develop. Of course, congenital defects also play a role.

With a high degree of myopia, retinal detachment becomes possible due to a sharp shaking of the head. In addition, overloads are known to primarily affect the most weak organs(according to the principle “where it is thin, it breaks”). You are probably familiar with temporary loss of vision when working with near-maximum weights. The ebb and flow of blood in the eyeballs can lead to disruption of eye function.

So, are those doctors right who forbid myopic people from playing sports? Fortunately, there are reasons for optimism. After all, Yuri Vlasov (and it’s hard to imagine what kind of stress he had!), Nasser El Sonbati and Flex Wheeler didn’t go blind!

Any muscle can be developed. Even developed special gymnastics for eyes. In addition, training that strengthens the entire body (in particular, strength training) also helps strengthen weak links. It has been proven that with high-intensity loads, but without sharp impacts, the risk of deterioration is low.

Regarding the harmful effects of strength training on vision. Of course, the doctors’ statements are not without foundation, but... It’s paradoxical, but true: after several years of training, I discovered that my vision not only did not deteriorate, but even improved somewhat (and believe me, I have it after many hours of vigils obviously not 100% on the computer). Although, of course, you need to make allowances for the characteristics of your body, frequency of training, etc.

Naturally, special protection methods are also necessary. For example, holding your breath while exerting yourself is extremely harmful to the eyes. Try not to “squeeze” your breath. Among other things, even breathing promotes better concentration. Martial arts experts have known this for a long time.

Learn to relax your gaze, that is, look not tensely, but as if through objects. At first glance, vision control in power sports (with the exception of purely circus sports, for example, power juggling) is not as important as in martial arts, where it has grown into a special element of training. However, by using eye defocus techniques, you can avoid unnecessary eye strain and therefore reduce the negative effects of high stress.

Here are some tips for relaxing your eyes as well as strengthening your eye muscles:

Stand near the window. Then find some point, such as a corner of a house or a tree, that is level with your eyes. As you count to twenty, look at the landmark you have chosen, then move your gaze to the window and count to twenty again. Repeat this procedure several times.

Close your eyes tightly several times. Open and close your eyes quickly enough, but don’t rush or slow down too much. Repeat this procedure several times.

Blink your eyes for a short time. Repeat this procedure several times.

I have already mentioned gymnastics for the eyes above. Here is one possible option:

Alternately move your eyes left and right. 10 times.

Same thing, up and down. 10 times.

Diagonally right-up and left-down, then vice versa. 10 times.

Rotate your eyes clockwise and counterclockwise. 10 times.

Between exercises, massage your eyeballs (through drooping eyelids) using gentle circular motions with your fingertips for about 30 to 60 seconds.

Using these tips, you will, to some extent, be able to reduce the “harmful” effects of strength training, and if you take the matter seriously, you will help your eyes recover much faster after working out in the gym. Perform the following complexes either after training or in the evening before bed. Try not to give in to laziness. The most important thing is consistency.

Vision modern man exposed heavy loads. A child learns to read at the age of three, then intensive studies at school, university, maybe in graduate school, etc. The work of many people today consists of sitting at a computer from morning to evening, at least 8 hours a day, And then there are smartphones, TV, and computers, which they use tirelessly while spending their leisure time.

In addition, you can’t go anywhere without physical activity - walking, running, gym, yoga, etc. It’s difficult to imagine at least one pastime of an individual without the participation of vision - it is always at work. How does such a frantic pace of life affect the eyes? How does vision correct human activity?

Pathologies in the body and their effect on vision

Experts have found that children with visual impairment experience secondary developmental deviations. Such a child may be somewhat behind in physical development, the formation of motor skills, he may have a decrease in active cognitive activity, as well as impaired coordination and accuracy of movements.

There are even studies that have identified a direct connection between vision and cardiovascular health. respiratory systems person. It is not surprising that very few high performing professional athletes have low vision.

Now very popular with early age send your children to play sports. Every year children increase the intensity of their training, participate in the most difficult competitions, and are exposed to psychological pressure from the world around them. In such conditions, when the influence of increased loads simply goes off scale, the child’s body experiences such stress - physical and emotional - that it can also affect vision.

Sports should be done in moderation

Also, it must be said that some sports are not suitable for people with vision problems. While sports such as wrestling, speed skating, figure skating, rowing, swimming, and tourism are still possible with low vision, diving, sailing, and equestrian sports are life-threatening. Also, football, boxing, hockey, water polo are not compatible with wearing glasses. At the same time, according to doctors, moderate physical activity can promote eye development. Therefore, when choosing a particular sport if your vision is impaired, you must consult an ophthalmologist.

Loads allowed for poor vision

Scientists have proven that moderate cyclic exercise has a positive effect on the eyes, increasing ocular blood flow some time after exercise. Thus, the performance of the eye muscle increases. Such activities include swimming, skiing, running, yoga, Pilates. They are allowed for people with vision up to eight diopters.

This type of physical activity will provide an opportunity internal organs enriched with oxygen, blood flow to the eyes. The main thing is not to overdo it in this matter - the pulse when performing loads should be in the range of 100-140 beats per minute.

Prohibited exercises for visual impairment

You need to beware of excessive physical exertion associated with boxing, wrestling, football, alpine skiing, tennis, weightlifting, artistic gymnastics, pentathlon, jumping, alpine skiing, luge, and motocross. Also, performing cyclic exercises, but of significant intensity, when the heartbeat reaches 170 beats per minute, impairs the performance of the eye muscles. These include buckles with a skipping rope, exercises on gymnastic equipment, acrobatics, etc.

If you have poor vision, certain activities are prohibited

Contraindicated for people with vision problems and bodybuilding. Weight-bearing exercise significantly increases pressure on the eyes, which can lead to glaucoma. In this case, the fluid that accumulates in the eye does not flow out as it should, the small network of drainage “pipes” in it becomes clogged, and nutrition is disrupted. Liquid accumulates and causes pressure on optic nerve, which, in turn, leads to the death of nerve fibers in the eye, and then even to loss of vision.

Holding your breath while performing some exercises, which occurs during bodybuilding, also has a very Negative influence on vision. Restricted oxygen supply is the main factor in increasing pressure in the eyeball. You should avoid exercises such as: leg press, barbell and dumbbell downward press at a negative angle, bench press, sumo deadlifts, squats with a barbell at the shoulders, bent-over barbell rows, etc. It is important to know that strong physical loads for people with poor eyesight into the distance (from 6 diopters) are prohibited, as this is fraught with retinal detachment.

Is it possible to restore vision with exercise?

A high degree of visual impairment is considered to be three diopters or higher. In this case, surgery is recommended to correct the defect.
If the degree of myopia is not so strong, you can try to restore vision with the help of special exercises. They will not help restore 100% vision, but positive dynamics in correcting poor vision can be traced. Exercises will also help prevent myopia if there are certain prerequisites for it.

Blind man's buff, training of lateral vision, self-massage, circular movements of the eyes, to the sides, etc. - a set of such activities is aimed at eliminating tension in the eye muscles, it improves nutrition and breathing of the eye tissues. They must be done regularly for 3-5 minutes, several times a day. For people sitting most of your time at the computer, it is better to do them every hour.

So, we can say with confidence that sports for a person with visual impairments is by no means a prohibited topic. The main thing is to approach the choice of your sport with great responsibility - so that it is not too hard on the body and eyes, including. And then, physical activity will bring only benefit and joy, and not cause lasting harm to the body.

Civilization has given our eyes enormous strain. From about three years old, children begin to read. Then study at school, college... It is hardly possible to find an occupation that does not require vision. This fully applies to physical education and sports.

When vision is impaired, a number of secondary deviations in the development of children occur. Spatial orientation becomes difficult, the formation of motor skills is delayed, and cognitive activity is significantly reduced. Some children experience significant delays in physical development. Violated correct posture When walking, running, or in free movement, coordination and accuracy of movements are impaired. A number of studies have determined the anatomical and physiological connection between visual sensory system And vegetative functions, the state of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. “The above is confirmed by the low percentage of athletes with visual impairments who reach athletic heights. Thus, among candidates for master of sports, only 1.2 percent are people with visual impairments, and among masters of sports, only 0.3 percent,” says Tatyana Vashchenko, head of the diagnostic and treatment department of the Municipal Medical and Physical Education Dispensary.

Currently, more and more children are starting to play sports early, and with increasing skill, the volume and intensity of loads increase both during training and during competitions. In these conditions children's body, including the organ of vision, must adapt to physical and psycho-emotional stress in order to grow, develop and improve physically. Otherwise, you can cause overload of the body as a whole and visual disturbances.

“Very often, children and their parents do not take into account the state of their vision when choosing a sport, although sporting achievements are directly dependent on its functions. For example, wrestling, weightlifting, speed skating, figure skating, swimming, rowing, and hiking are possible with a slight decrease in vision. But there are sports where lowering is dangerous, for example, horseback riding, sailing, and diving. Classes rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics, certain types athletics, figure skating, fencing, shooting, tennis, volleyball, basketball are allowed with the use of corrective glasses. But boxing, football, all types of wrestling, hockey, water polo, mountaineering are not compatible with the use spectacle correction“,” warns ophthalmologist Elizaveta Popova of the Municipal Medical and Physical Education Dispensary.

On the other hand, dosed physical activity often promotes eye development and prevents disease.

In each specific case, only an ophthalmologist can correctly determine the level of vision and advise the type of sport. It is important that young athletes come to a consultation with a doctor with their parents or coach. The doctor will learn more fully about the nature of the load, daily routine, etc. and after that he will be able to give good advice and recommendations.

Scientists have proven that cyclic physical exercise (running, swimming, skiing) of moderate intensity (pulse 100-140 beats per minute) has a beneficial effect on the abilities of the eyes, causing a reactive increase in blood flow in the eyes some time after exercise and increasing the performance of the eye muscle .

Dynamic physical activity helps reduce intraocular pressure on average by 4.5 mmHg. Art. regardless of his baseline and degree of training. After performing cyclic exercises of significant intensity (pulse 175 beats per minute), as well as exercises on gymnastic apparatus, jumping rope, acrobatic exercises, severe ocular ischemia is observed, which persists. long time, and deterioration in the performance of the ciliary muscle.

Considering the significant impact of physical activity on ocular blood flow and the degree of blood supply to various parts of the eye, healthy individuals are recommended to exercise in a manner in which the heart rate does not exceed 175 beats per minute. Any physical activity at a heart rate above 175 beats per minute is contraindicated, as it leads to a deterioration in the blood supply to eye tissue.

Help "NG"

Level physical development And physical fitness Children with visual impairments lag significantly behind their normally sighted peers. Lag in weight (from three to five percent), in height (from five to 13 cm). A noticeable lag from the norm is also observed in the vital capacity of the lungs. Studies conducted by sports medicine experts show that children 10-12 years old with visual impairment vital capacity lungs - 1600 cubic meters. cm, and for those with normal vision - 1800 cubic meters. see. Muscle strength (hand) in children with visual impairments is poorly developed compared to the norm: at the age of eight to nine years it is reduced by 28 percent, by 16 years - by 52 percent.

Main reason increased load On vision is the need to carefully examine small objects at a close distance from the eye. The classical theory of accommodation believes that focusing on objects at different distances from the eye is achieved only due to changes in the shape of the lens. however, studies of recent decades show that this also results in elongation eyeball. Moreover, the dependence of the elongation on the distance to the object of observation is sharply nonlinear. For distances greater than 40-50 cm, the deformation is insignificant, but at shorter observation distances it increases sharply. Long-term increased deformations beyond the normal elasticity of the eyeball lead to the accumulation of residual deformations and, as a result, the emergence and development of myopia.

In addition to phenomena associated with any visual activity, working at a computer has features that increase eye strain. Firstly, you have to deal not with viewing texts in reflected light, but look directly at the light source - the display. In addition, you have to constantly change from one way of reading to another. Secondly, it happens<<мерцание>> image points with a certain frequency. Although due to the inertia of vision this turns out to be practically unnoticeable, nevertheless, the load on the organ of vision turns out to be higher, the lower the image refresh rate.

1.3 Features of working posture Long-term physical inactivity

Any position with prolonged fixation is harmful to the musculoskeletal system, in addition, it leads to stagnation of blood in the internal organs and capillaries

Non-physiological position of various parts of the body

The physiological position for humans is the so-called fetal position, which can easily be experienced by yourself if you completely relax in salt water. When the muscles are relaxed and only the natural resting tone affects them, the body comes to a certain position. For the back and neck in a vertical position, it is physiologically different - when the lumbar and cervical curves of the spine are clearly expressed, with a straight vertical line passing through the back of the head and tailbone. Correct posture must be learned<<телом>> by monitoring it for a while, and then it will be maintained automatically. The easiest way is to stand against a flat wall and press your heels, calves, buttocks, shoulder blades, elbows and the back of your head tightly against it. Achieving the ideal is not easy in general, especially during work, but we must strive for this - at least for individual parts of the body.

Repetitive stress injuries

Studies show that prolonged and intensive work with devices such as keyboards and mice can become a source of serious occupational diseases. Repetitive stress injury (RSI) diseases develop gradually. Mild arm pain if not treated promptly can ultimately lead to disability.

Experts believe that the natural position of the hands is vertical, and not palm down, as when working with a computer. Moreover, when working with a keyboard (mouse), monotonous movements are repeated constantly for a long time.

Diseases caused by ESRD 2 include diseases of the nerves, muscles and tendons of the hands. The hands most commonly affected are the wrist and shoulder, although the cervical area may also be affected. In people working with VT, the disease usually occurs as a result continuous operation on an inconvenient or incorrectly positioned keyboard, for example, on an excessively high desk or on an ill-fitting chair.