The effect of protective eyewear on free throw performance in basketball players without refractive defects

Background and Study Aim. Sports-related eye injuries are a significant concern, particularly in high-risk activities such as basketball, where protective measures are often necessary. Protective eyewear is designed to prevent injuries, but its potential impact on athletic performance remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of wearing protective eyewear on shooting performance in basketball athletes without refractive errors. Material and Methods. Sixteen basketball athletes aged 16 to 24 years (mean = 21.56 ± 1.71) voluntarily participated in the study. The athletes underwent a 1-week familiarization period to adjust to the goggles. Shooting tests were conducted under three conditions: with goggles, without goggles, and with goggles after fatigue. The mean and standard deviation values were calculated for each condition. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test, a non-parametric statistical method, was used to identify differences between the protocols. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 26.0 software (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA), with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results. The analysis revealed significant differences between the test conditions. Shots performed without goggles consistently showed better accuracy compared to those performed with goggles across all protocols. In the first protocol, the mean shooting accuracy was higher without goggles (0.620 ± 0.169) compared to with goggles (0.450 ± 0.100). Similarly, in the second protocol, the mean pre-test score without goggles (0.704 ± 0.058) was significantly better than the post-test score with goggles (0.673 ± 0.043, p < 0.05). The third protocol demonstrated the most pronounced difference, where pre-test accuracy without goggles (0.70 ± 0.05) decreased to a post-test accuracy with goggles (0.44 ± 0.04, p < 0.05) under fatigue conditions. These results suggest that the use of protective eyewear negatively impacts shooting accuracy, with the effects being more pronounced in fatigue-inducing scenarios. Conclusions. The findings of this study underscore the importance of considering the potential trade-offs between safety and performance when designing protective eyewear for athletes. While protective goggles are essential for preventing sports-related eye injuries, their influence on critical performance metrics, such as shooting accuracy, highlights the need for a balanced approach.