Effects of Fatigue on Functional Movement Efficiency in Physically Active Adults

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Functional movement tests are crucial for identifying movement dysfunctions in athletes.
• Current testing often occurs in a non-fatigued state, which may not reflect real-world athletic conditions where injuries frequently happen.
• Understanding how fatigue impacts movement quality is vital for injury prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of neuromuscular fatigue on functional movement test performance in healthy, physically active adults.
• To determine if fatigue alters movement efficiency and increases compensations during functional tests.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-five healthy, physically active adults participated.
• Subjects underwent a pre-fatigue functional movement assessment.
• A standardized aerobic exercise protocol induced neuromuscular fatigue.
• A post-fatigue functional movement assessment was conducted.

Main Results:

• Overall functional movement scores significantly decreased after the fatiguing protocol (p < 0.001).
• Specific subtests, including the 1-Leg Squat, Shoulder, and Cervical components, showed significant declines in performance (p ≤ 0.016).
• These findings indicate a clear negative impact of fatigue on movement quality.

Conclusions:

• Neuromuscular fatigue demonstrably worsens functional movement test scores in healthy adults.
• Functional movement testing under fatigued conditions can reveal compensatory patterns not apparent in rested states.
• Clinicians can utilize these findings to tailor injury prevention programs by addressing fatigue-induced movement deficits.