The role of perception-action coupling in badminton-specific vision training: A narrative review

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Badminton is a sport characterized by intense competition and rapid pace, necessitating exceptional hand-eye coordination, mental sharpness, and visual acuity from its players. Rapid interchanges and complex shot combinations highlight the imperative for players to maintain heightened concentration and exhibit quick decision-making capabilities. Given these demands, visual training has emerged as an indispensable tool for enhancing athletic ability in badminton. Aim. The study aims to examine the underlying theories of perception-action coupling, investigates various vision training methods for badminton, and evaluates research on their effects on players’ perception-action coupling. Material and Methods. This study employs a narrative review methodology. We conducted an extensive literature search across diverse sources, using keywords like “badminton,” “perception-action coupling,” and “vision training.” The selection of studies was based on relevance to our research objectives, encompassing various study designs, including primary research, reviews, and expert opinions, facilitating a flexible and coherent synthesis of findings, enabling the exploration of context, significance, and implications within the area of the review while highlighting key insights and emerging trends. Results. Several factors can influence a player’s perception-action coupling abilities in badminton, such as their level of expertise and training background. Expert players exhibit better perception-action coupling abilities than their less skilled counterparts. Additionally, several studies have investigated the impact of vision training techniques on perception-action coupling in badminton, revealing improvements in various visual skills crucial for performance. Conclusions. The study explored the pivotal role of perception-action coupling in the context of vision training tailored for badminton players.