The effect of knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor fatigue on dynamic balance in active elderly males

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of knee extensor and ankle

plantar flexor fatigue on dynamic balance among active elderly males. Fifteen

healthy individuals having age of 72±6.57 years, height of 168.4±4.8 cm and

weight of 70.5±7.4 kg without history of injuries at lower extremity, participated

in this study. Knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor muscles fatigued with free

sets of fifty repeated of knee extension and ankle plantar flexion loading with

50% of one repetition maximum (1RM), while four minutes rest applied between

every set. Fatigue protocol applied for each muscle group after 72 hours rest at

same environment condition. Star excursion balance test (SEBT) used to

measure dynamic balance before and after applying fatigue protocol.

Dependent and independent t-test used for data analysis in significant level

0.05. Significant differences shown between pre and post reaching distance

using SEBT. The results also showed significant differences between decrease

of reaching distance in SEBT after applying muscle fatigue protocols in knee

extensor and ankle plantar flexor. Due to results, increasing lower limb muscle

endurance, especially at knee, recommended for training program designitation

for elderly subjects to achieve dynamic balance improvement.

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