This study was carried out for the purpose of confirming the compensatory response to light touch as for the postural sway, by mutually comparing the static balance in people with and without visual impairment and by grasping the effects of light finger touch on postural sway. The research subjects comprised 23 people with visual impairment without other balance-related handicap except visual disturbance and 23 sighted people without balance handicap. With being allowed to take feet together on the force plate and to take feet together that is accompanied by light touch, for 30 seconds, the sway distance and speed were measured. And the following results were obtained.
First, regardless of whether or not light touch, the postural sway in people with visual impairment was much significantly more than the postural sway in sighted people.
Second, both people with visual impairment and sighted people were reduced significantly the postural sway when having given light touch.
Third, when having given light touch, the postural sway in people with visual impairment showed a significantly bigger drop compared to the postural sway in sighted people.
Fourth, in the sway distance and speed of the right and left directions was not indicated the significant difference between groups.