Effects of lumbar extensor fatigue and fatigue rate on postural sway

Abstract

Falls from heights resulting from a loss of balance are a major concern in the occupational setting. Previous studies have documented a deleterious effect of lower extremity fatigue on balance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lumbar extensor fatigue on balance during quiet standing. Additionally, the effects of fatigue rate on balance and balance recovery rate were assessed. Eight center-of-pressure-based measures of postural sway were collected from 13 participants, both before and after a protocol that fatigued the lumbar extensors to 60% of their unfatigued maximum voluntary exertion force. In addition, postural sway was measured for 30 min after the fatiguing protocol, at 5-min intervals, to quantify balance recovery rate during recovery from fatigue. Two different fatigue rates were achieved by fatiguing participants over either 10 min or 90 min. Results show an increase up to 58% in time-domain postural sway measures with lumbar extensor fatigue, but no change in frequency-domain measures. Fatigue rate did not affect the magnitude of these postural sway increases, nor did it affect the rate of balance recovery following fatigue. Statistical power for the latter result, however, was low. These results show that lumbar extensor fatigue increases postural sway and may contribute to fall-from-height accidents.

The effect of acute back muscle fatigue on postural control strategy in people with and without recurrent low back pain

“…In comparison with the control condition, significantly larger posterior sways have been shown during TS muscle vibration while standing on an unstable support surface. An increased sway due to lumbar muscle fatigue has already been shown by some studies [20,21]. This can be explained by the negative influence of fatigue on the muscle receptors and thereby on proprioception [2,14].…”

“…Furthermore, Taimela et al concluded that lumbar muscle fatigue impaired lumbar position sense in patients with LBP and healthy subjects [19]. Some studies showed that lumbar extensors fatigue resulted in an increased postural sway in healthy individuals [20,21]. However, to the authors' knowledge, no studies have examined the possible relationship between back muscle fatigue and the selection of a proprioceptive postural control strategy in healthy individuals and in people with recurrent LBP.…”

Effect of Trunk Extensor Muscle Fatigue on Postural Stability in Healthy Young Adults

“…The task of maintaining upright balance is a critical component in performing most daily activities. Numerous studies [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] have investigated the effects of muscular fatigue on the regulation of bipedal quiet upright standing. Generally, a deterioration of postural control with muscular fatigue was reported.…”

Relationship between core stability, dynamic balance and jumping performance in soccer players

“…Zazulak et al (21) reported that trunk displacement was greater in athletes with knee and ACL injuries compared with uninjured athletes. It has been reported that core muscle fatigue decreased dynamic stability of the trunk and loss of balance control (3,6,18). Dynamic balance is define as the ability of an individual to maintain stability of the center of mass during movement and an essential component of many sports activities.…”