The Effect of Quadriceps Fatigue on Dynamic Balance While Walking

Control of posture means to maintain limbs and body parts biomechanically which exists in static and dynamic forms. Dynamic posture is a condition in which body and its parts move during walking or running. Fatigue is one of the factors that influence posture control. Muscle fatigue can disturb sensory information received by brain and cause balance disorder. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of quadriceps fatigue on dynamic balance control during walking. 30 volleyball players (15 males, 15 females, age 22.46+4.12 years, height 198.5+5.9cm, weight 60.2+9.7kg) participated in this study. Digital dynamometer was used to induce isometric quadriceps fatigue. Force platform was used to measure balance, displacement alteration, and the velocity of center of pressure as the balance parameters before and after the fatigue. ANOVA was administered to analyze the data (P<0.05). The results of this study showed that although the displacement of center of pressure in the frontal and sagittal planes increased after the fatigue, this difference was not statistically significant compared with pretest (P>0.05). After fatigue, the alteration of velocity of center of pressure decreased in frontal plane while it increased in sagittal plane, but the differences were not statistically significant (P<0.05). It can be concluded that no significant relationship existed between quadriceps fatigue with displacement alteration and velocity of center of pressure in frontal and sagittal planes; thus, quadriceps fatigue did not affect dynamic balance during walking.