Evaluation of the Relationship between Static Balance and Mental Fatigue in Healthy Adults: Preliminary Study

Abstract

Mental fatigue (MF) occurs when a demanding cognitive-task is performed over a long period of time, making it difficult to continue daily tasks and maintain balance. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether the Stroop test induces mental fatigue and to examine its effects on static balance. The study is a quasi-experimental design with pre-post testing. Twenty participants (19-44) were included. Static posturography was used to evaluate balance at baseline following a 25-min relaxation period of rest and in the MFC (mental-fatigue condition) following the induction of MF with the Stroop test. The other measurements were the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The study found that mental fatigue significantly increased at MFC compared to baseline, as indicated by MFI (p=.031) and FSS (p=.007) results with moderate effect sizes (d = 0.52, d = 0.67, respectively). Similarly, the study found a statistically significant increase in mental fatigue as measured by VAS results (p=.000, d = 0.95). However, the study did not find any statistically significant impairment in static balance due to mental fatigue in healthy young subjects. The results suggest that the Stroop test can induce mental fatigue, but it does not impair static balance.