The effects of stroboscopic vision training on physical performance in athletes: a systematic review.

backgroundStroboscopic visual training (SVT), a relatively new modality, temporarily limits visual input to enhance visuomotor processing and motor coordination. It has gained attention in sports science and rehabilitation, but evidence on its effects remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to systematically synthesize the existing literature to evaluate the effects of SVT on athletes' physical performance.

methodsThe study's search and analysis were done according to the PRISMA guidelines. The literature was systematically reviewed across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases up to July 27, 2025 using keywords related to stroboscopic visual training and its effects on various aspects of physical performance. Of the 32 full-text articles evaluated based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 met the eligibility requirements. Only articles published in English were included.

resultsA total of 14 studies involving 542 athletes were included and analyzed. Most studies reported that stroboscopic visual training produced significantly larger improvements in hand-eye coordination (2 studies), reaction time (6 studies), agility (1 study), and reactive agility (3 studies) compared with training under normal visual conditions. Additionally, enhancements were observed in balance, jump performance, and visuomotor performance. Sport-specific performance metrics demonstrated moderate yet consistent improvements.

conclusionStroboscopic visual training may serve as an effective adjunct to conventional training, potentially leading to improvements in physical performance parameters such as reaction time, hand-eye coordination, agility, and visuomotor performance. However, given the lack of quantitative analysis in the current review, these findings should be interpreted with caution, and further high-quality research is needed to confirm the current results.