Time course of stabilometric changes after a strenuous treadmill exercise.

Abstract

To detect the effect of a strenuous exercise on equilibrium and to quantify its time course. Body sway area, sway path, and center of foot pressure were recorded in eight young able-bodied subjects, standing quietly with feet together, with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC), on a dynamometric platform, before and after treadmill walking for 25min, during which subjects approached the maximum heart rate. A significant increase in body sway was observed after exercise. It was present under both visual conditions and affected both sway area and sway path. Sway increased most in the initial few minutes (sway area EO=800.7mm2 [p < .005], EC=1,779.5mm2 [not significant]; sway path EO=545mm [p < .0001], EC=811.8mm [p < .05]) with respect to preexercise values (sway area EO=449.4mm2, EC=1,316.2mm2; sway path EO=369.5 mm, EC=652.5mm) and was followed by a plateau (sway area EO=609.9mm2, EC=1,567.9mm2; sway path EO=431.2mm, EC=710.9mm). Full recovery to basal values occurred within about 15min after the end of the exercise. Body sway is affected by prolonged fatiguing exercise, such as strenuous walking. This effect is of moderate extent and vanishes within a few minutes.