Abstract
BackgroundThe current experiment investigated the impact of two potential confounding variables on the postural balance in young participants: the induced-experimental activity prior to the static postural measurements and the well-documented time-of-day effects. We mainly hypothesized that an exhaustive exercise and a high attention-demanding task should result in alterations of postural control.MethodsTen participants performed three experimental sessions (differentiated by the activity – none, cognitive or physical – prior of the assessment of postural stability), separated by one day at least. Each session included postural balance assessments around 8 a.m., 12.00 p.m. and 5 p.m. ± 30 min. The physical and cognitive activities were performed only before the 12 o’clock assessment. The postural tests consisted of four conditions of quiet stance: stance on a firm surface with eyes open; stance on a firm surface with eyes closed; stance on a foam surface with eyes open and stance on a foam surface with eyes closed. Postural performance was assessed by various center of pressure (COP) parameters.ResultsOverall, the COP findings indicated activity-related postural impairment, with an increase in body sway in the most difficult conditions (with foam surface), especially when postural measurements are recorded just after the running exercise (physical session) or the psychomotor vigilance test (cognitive session).ConclusionsEven if no specific influence of time-of-day on static postural control is demonstrated, our results clearly suggest that the activities prior to balance tests could be a potential confounding variable to be taken into account and controlled when assessing clinical postural balance.
Highlights
Many studies have already looked at the time-of-day dependence of postural parameters [1,2] and the effect of physical activity on human postural control, see [3] for a review
Even if no specific influence of time-of-day on static postural control is demonstrated, our results clearly suggest that activities prior to balance tests could be a potential confounding variable to be taken into account and controlled when assessing clinical postural balance
Our results show the importance of questioning the potential effects of daily fatiguing activities when evaluating age-related changes of human balance during quiet stance, especially in older adults [31]
Summary
Many studies have already looked at the time-of-day dependence of postural parameters [1,2] and the effect of physical activity on human postural control, see [3] for a review. Among the numerous well-documented confounding variables when performing force plateform balance tests, two important categories of systems are of overriding interest: the neuromuscular system (and fatigue due to muscular exercise) and the cognitive system (and mental fatigue due to a demanding sustained-attention task). Simoneau et al [14] confirmed the immediate decrement of the postural performance (COP displacements) measured just after moderate fatigue (experimentally induced by three periods of fast walking on a treadmill), but their participants were able to quickly compensate for this effect of moderate fatigue by a higher cognitive resources investment necessary to maintain active postural control [5,15]. The current experiment investigated the impact of two potential confounding variables on the postural balance in young participants: the induced-experimental activity prior to the static postural measurements and the well-documented time-of-day effects. We mainly hypothesized that an exhaustive exercise and a high attention-demanding task should result in alterations of postural control
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