Physiological Mechanisms of Post-Exercise Balance Impairment

This review focuses on investigations into postural sway response to different forms of exercise, and particularly those dealing with physiological mechanisms of post-exercise balance impairment. The findings of relevant studies combined with our research results show that postural sway response to exercise depends on its type, intensity, duration and intensity of proprioceptive stimulation. Differences in postural sway were also observed after exercise with different forms of muscle contraction and those with different activation of muscle fibres. In general, fatigue is associated with post-exercise balance impairment. Such an effect is usually a consequence of prolonged exercise. However, findings proved that after short-term intensive exercises, hyperventilation, rather than fatigue, is responsible for increased postural sway. Significant differences in balance impairment were also found after exercises that induced the same ventilation but with a different intensity of muscle contractions eliciting a different level of proprioceptive stimulation, such as calf rises versus jumps and cycling versus running. Thus, in addition to fatigue and hyperventilation, impairment of somatosensory inputs also very likely plays a role in increased post-exercise postural sway. Based on this literature review, possible physiological mechanisms of post-exercise balance impairment identified so far may be fatigue, hyperventilation, deterioration of functions of mechanoreceptors, proprioceptors, vestibular apparatus and visual cues, muscle damage, dehydration, hyperthermia and dizziness. These findings can be explored in a more practical setting in the field of sport, clinical medicine and rehabilitation.