Influence of Lower Limb Muscle Fatigue on Balance Function

• Published in: Journal of Physical Therapy Science Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 331 - 335
• Main Authors: Inoue, Kazuhisa, Uematsu, Mitsutoshi, Maruoka, Hiroshi, Hara, Kazuhiko, Kanemura, Naohiko, Masuda, Tadashi, Morita, Sadao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: The Society of Physical Therapy Science 2013
• Subjects: Balance; Fall; Muscle fatigue
• ISSN: 0915-5287; 2187-5626
• DOI: 10.1589/jpts.25.331

[Purpose] Balance training lowers the risk of falling in the elderly, but it is not known which specific muscles should be strengthened. The purpose of this study was to determine associations between fatigue of individual muscle groups in the lower limbs and balance. [Subjects and Methods] We tested 42 lower limbs of 21 healthy young adults with no history of fractures or of bone and joint disorders. Groups of flexor and extensor muscles were fatigued individually by voluntary isometric contraction, and the effects on balance function were analyzed. [Results] We found changes in total trajectory length of hip extensors and ankle plantar flexors after muscles were fatigued and in trajectory length per unit area of hip flexors and extensors, knee flexors and ankle dorsiflexors. Only hip extensors showed changes in both total trajectory length and trajectory length per unit area. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that muscle fatigue of the hip extensors is associated with a decline in balance function of the lower limbs of healthy young adults. It is likely that incorporating a greater focus on hip extensors in balance training would increase the effectiveness of such programs.