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CONTEXT: Deficits in static postural control related to fatigue have been investigated previously, but there is little evidence to link fatigue to performance measures of dynamic postural control. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of fatigue and gender on performance measures of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). DESIGN: Mixed-model design. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: 16 healthy young adults. INTERVENTION: Subjects performed the SEBT before and after 4 different fatiguing conditions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The normalized reach distances and sagittal-plane kinematics of the knee and hip were recorded. RESULTS: Fatigue produced deficits in normalized reach distances and decreased knee flexion in all 3 reaching directions. Overall, women were able to reach farther than men while simultaneously demonstrating a greater amount of knee flexion. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences were observed during performance of the SEBT, with women demonstrating greater reach distances and knee flexion, and fatigue amplified these differences.
Gribble et al. (2009) studied this question.