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Athletes commonly make decisions about the passability of closing gaps when navigating sport environments. This study examined whether increased temporal pressure to arrive at a desired location modifies these decisions. Thirty participants navigated toward a waypoint in a virtual, sport-inspired environment. To do so, they had to decide whether they could pass through closing gaps of virtual humans (and take the shortest route) or steer around them (and take a longer route). The decision boundary of participants who were time pressured to arrive at a waypoint was biased toward end gaps of smaller sizes and was less reliably defined, resulting in a higher number of collisions. Effects of temporal pressure were minimized with experience in the experimental task. Results indicate that temporal pressure affects perceptual-motor processes supporting information pickup and shapes the information-action coupling that drives compliance with navigation demands. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To determine if level of temporal pressure to arrive at a desired location explains decisions about passability of closing gaps between opponents encountered and how decisions change with task experience. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING Participants were immersed in a sports ;ield rendered in virtual reality in ;irst person perspective and instructed to steer toward a visual waypoint. On the way, they had to decide whether they could ;it through a shrinking gap between two virtual human opponents, which would enable the participant to take the shortest route to the waypoint or, conversely, whether they had to steer around the gap and take a longer route. PARTICIPANTS Thirty healthy, university undergraduate students participated and were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The control group (NPG) consisted of 15 participants (6 male, 9 female, M age = 20.53 ± 2.75) and the PG consisted of 15 participants (8 male, 7 female, M age = 20.93 ± 3.19). INTERVENTION Participants were instructed to always move through the gap when they perceived it was possible. The Pressure Group (PG) received instruction to navigate to the waypoint as fast as possible. The No Pressure Group (NPG) received no further instruction thus not subjected to temporal pressure to reach the waypoint. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Action Boundary representing action decisions to pass through or around closing gaps with respect to gaps’ passability. An action boundary of 1 indicates decisions, below 1 equates to going around passable gaps (inef;icient decisions), and above 1 tendency to go through impassable gaps resulting in collision (risky decisions). RESULTS Mixed effect analysis was used to test the effect of Group (PG vs. NPG) and Block (1, 2, and 3) on Accuracy. The PG exhibited a consistently higher Action Boundary, F(1, 84) = 6.717, p = .011, and a two times higher rate of risky decisions compared to NPG, F (1,84) = 10.052, p < .001. The NPG began making accurate decisions but with experience became inef;icient (action boundary <1). The PG started making risky decisions (>1) but by block 2 demonstrated accurate decision. With experience, both groups action boundary decreased but with lack of pressure the NPG became inef;icient, while with pressure the PG became more accurate. CONCLUSION Results provide initial support to the idea that temporal demands experienced by athletes during competition could put them at risk for injury. Thus, they could bene;it from interventions (in safe VR environments) designed to enhance perceptual-motor processes that support effective responses to local contextual constraints. The design of such interventions should take into account how the role of task pressure in safe environments may be a mechanism to promote safe, yet ef;icient decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case of a collegiate baseball player who sustained traumatic hyphema after he was hit in the right eye by a wayward ball is presented. The player suffered a nose bleed immediately after the incident while his right eye became swollen. These signs and symptoms of hyphema were discussed to increase awareness among athletic trainers, particularly when to seek medical evaluation on behalf of the injured athlete. Proper diagnosis and immediate treatment are deemed necessary to prevent secondary complications.