Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41983007›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2026

Exploring the association between visual skills and sport-specific performance in team athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mulin Yang, Yuqiang Guo, Feng Yang, Kewei Zhao

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Mulin Yang *Physical Fitness Training Research Center, China Institute of Sport Science, Beijing, China.
Yuqiang Guo *School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
Feng YangGraduate School, Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China.
Kewei ZhaoPhysical Fitness Training Research Center, China Institute of Sport Science, Beijing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Visual skills are increasingly recognized as key contributors to performance in team sports, yet the strength and consistency of their associations with sport-specific outcomes remain uncertain. To address this gap, the present review systematically synthesized empirical evidence examining how different domains of visual skill relate to sport-specific performance among team-sport athletes. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science™, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus databases were systematically searched from inception to October 2025 to identify studies relating visual skills to sport-specific performance in team-sport athletes. Risk of bias was conducted using a modified and validated tool for observational and correlational studies, and certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Results: Of 4,118 records identified, 22 studies ( Conclusion: Visual-cognitive skills appear to show stronger links with team-sport performance, whereas basic perceptual skills contribute little. Evidence quality remains limited, and more robust, ecologically valid studies are needed to clarify causality and guide training applications. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251171665, identifier CRD420251171665.

Indexed as

athletic performanceperceptual-cognitive skillsteam sportsvisual–motor coordinationvisual perception

Identifiers

PMID41983007
PMCPMC13070756

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.