Fatiguing exercise was linked to greater body sway in young adults
A review of standing-balance studies found immediate changes after exercise-related fatigue, while later effects were described without a clear timetable for recovery.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found greater body sway after fatiguing exercise in healthy young adults, both with eyes open and with eyes closed. The authors also describe reduced muscle activity immediately afterward and increased sway at later assessments. The abstract does not establish a single recovery time or report whether these changes translated into falls.
Substantial methodological differences limited comparability. The abstract does not identify the reference conditions for the pooled estimates or quantify later effects, making the magnitude and persistence of a specific effect difficult to judge.
How posture was assessed
The pooled analyses focused on center-of-pressure measurements used to assess standing posture. They combined results from varied exercise protocols and standing tasks, so the findings summarize a collection of experimental settings.
Recovery remains less clear
The statistical pooling addressed immediate effects. The conclusion also describes increased sway during later periods, but provides no separate estimates for those stages. It therefore leaves uncertainty about how long the changes lasted under particular conditions.
The original publication
Exercise-induced fatigue effects on postural control in young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Penedo T, Vuillerme N, Chardon M et al.
J Biomech · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41650689
- Record checked
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