Trends and Future Directions in the Sports Performance of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Athletes: A Systematic Review

Resumen

Featured Application Hearing impairment is not a barrier in the development of an athlete's physical fitness. Inclusion in sports participation and specific tools (i.e., communication aids) appear to be crucial factors in the performance enhancement of deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes. The aim of this systematic review was twofold: to identify the main trends and issues that are being addressed by researchers in the context of physical fitness and sports performance in deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) athletes and to indicate the needs and future directions that should be implemented in the training process of athletes with hearing impairments. The methodology of this systematic review was planned according to PRISMA guidelines. A search of electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCO, Scopus) was conducted to identify all studies on physical fitness, sports performance and participation, and D/HH athletes from 2003 to 2024. In total, 87 full-text articles were assessed to determine eligibility, while 34 studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to detailed analysis and assessment of their methodological quality. The presented systematic review indicates evidence that D/HH athletes are characterized by a similar or higher level in selected motor abilities compared to hearing athletes. Moreover, it seems that hearing impairment is not a barrier in the development of an athlete's physical fitness, including aerobic capacity, muscular strength and power or speed of reaction. Furthermore, inclusion in sports participation and specific tools (i.e., communication aids) appear to be crucial factors for performance enhancement.