AUTHOR=Borgmann Katharina , Ferdenhert Jendrik , Neyses Alexandra C. , Bauer Julian , Hill Mathew W. , Muehlbauer Thomas 

TITLE=Exploring how arm movement moderates the effect of lower limb muscle fatigue on dynamic balance in healthy youth

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sports and Active Living

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2024.1391868

DOI=10.3389/fspor.2024.1391868

ISSN=2624-9367

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>In young adults, there is evidence that free arm movements do not help to compensate muscle fatigue-induced deteriorations in dynamic balance performance. However, the postural control system in youth is immature, and as a result, the use of arm movements may provide a compensatory “upper body strategy” to correct fatigue-related balance impairments. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of free vs. restricted arm movement on dynamic balance performance prior and following exercise-induced muscle fatigue.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>Forty-three healthy youth (19 females; mean age: 12.8 ± 1.9 years) performed the Y Balance Test–Lower Quarter before and immediately after a fatiguing exercise (i.e., repetitive vertical bipedal box jumps until failure) using two different arm positions: free (move the arms freely) and restricted (keep the arms akimbo) arm movement.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Muscle fatigue (<italic>p</italic> ≤ 0.033; 0.10 ≤ <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> ≤ 0.33) and restriction of arm movement (<italic>p</italic> ≤ 0.005; 0.17 ≤ <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> ≤ 0.46) resulted in significantly deteriorated dynamic balance performance. However, the interactions between the two did not reach the level of significance (<italic>p</italic> ≥ 0.091; 0.01 ≤ <italic>η</italic><sub>p</sub><sup>2</sup> ≤ 0.07).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Our findings indicate that the use of an “upper body strategy” (i.e., free arm position) has no compensatory effect on muscle fatigue-induced dynamic balance deteriorations in healthy youth.</p></sec>