The Effects of Lower Extremity Fatigue on Postural Control with Perturbations Over Time in Physically Active Males and Females

Abstract

<b><u>Context:</u></b> Research has shown that fatigue adversely effects postural control but little research has been done using the sophistication of computerized dynamic posturography. <b><u>Objective:</u></b> The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of lower extremity fatigue on postural control with ankle, knee, and hip perturbations. <b><u>Design:</u></b> A pre-test post-test design. <b><u>Setting:</u></b> Controlled research laboratory. <b><u>Participants:</u></b> Thirty physically active males and females (age:=22±2.54 yrs, height=166.77±8.59cm, weight = 65.51± 3.01kg) volunteered to participate in this investigation. <b><u>Intervention:</u></b> Subjects performed the Motor Control Test (MCT) before and after 4 episodes of fatigue. Bilateral body weight squats were repeated until the point of fatigue, when the participants could no longer complete three consecutive squats, repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-test for pre and post fatigue composite latency scores. <b><u>Main outcome Measure:</u></b> Latency scores produced by the (MCT) were recorded before and after fatigue. <b><u>Results:</u></b> No differences in fatigue were observed across trials following fatigue trials F(4,l 12)=1.3, p=.264. A gender effect was observed F(l,28) = 12.3, p = .002, was observed across all trials. Males had higher (worse) latency levels than females. <b><u>Conclusion:</u></b> There were no differences found between pre fatigue and post fatigue trials contrary to the hypothesis in this investigation. The mean latency scores did not illustrate that muscular fatigue has an effect on postural balance or control.