Context:
Use of selective joints in fatiguing protocols might not represent athletic activity and limits generalizability.
Objective:
To quantify changes in balance indices after a generalized fatiguing activity.
Design:
Repeated measures.
Setting:
Clinical laboratory.
Participants:
16 men (24 ± 3 y) with no orthopedic problems.
Intervention:
Balance was assessed using the KAT-2000 system before (PRE) and immediately (IMMED) and 10 min (10MIN) after serial Wingate tests and at similar time points under nonfatigue conditions.
Main Outcome Measures:
Balance index (BI), fore:back ratio, and right:left ratio.
Results:
MANOVA revealed a significant Condition × Time effect (P = .023). ANOVA revealed that only BI was significant for the condition, time, and Condition × Time effects (P = .020, .007, and .003, respectively). BI increased PRE to IMMED, decreased IMMED to 10MIN, and was different from the nonfatigue condition only for IMMED (P = .002, < .001, and < .001, respectively).
Conclusions:
Fatigue adversely affects BI; recovery might occur within 10 min.
