Exercise-induced fatigue effects on postural control in young adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Exercise-induced fatigue disrupts the neuromuscular system, contributing to postural instability in young adults. The systematic investigation into the impact of exercise-induced fatigue on postural control, particularly in acute (immediate), short- (minutes after), and long-lasting contexts (hours or days later), is relevant to understanding the limits of human postural adaptation to fatigue. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess and quantify how exercise-induced fatigue alters upright posture and the duration of these effects on healthy young adults' postural control. Following PRISMA guidelines, the search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL from inception to October 2025. Random-effects meta-analyses examined the acute effects of exercise-induced fatigue on center of pressure (CoP) parameters. Forty-one studies (from 1997 to 2025) were included, involving 702 young adults and a diverse array of exercise protocols and postural tasks. Meta-analyses indicated that exercise-induced fatigue significantly increased CoP outcomes, with moderate to large overall effects (SMDs = 0.41-3.10, p < 0.05) regardless of visual condition (eyes open or closed). Considerable heterogeneity was observed due to methodological discrepancies across studies. In conclusion, regardless of visual condition, exercise-induced fatigue impairs postural control in young healthy adults, increasing body sway and decreasing muscle activity acutely; the body sway remains increased for a short- and long-lasting stages.