Investigation Of The Effect Of Acute Muscle Fatigue On Static And Dynamic Balance Performances in Female Judokas

Judo is a dynamic martial art that combines technical, tactical, and physical performance elements, aiming to neutralize the opponent by causing them to lose balance and stability. To be successful in this sport, it is essential to develop fundamental motor skills such as muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, agility, flexibility, reaction speed, and particularly balance. Balance plays a critical role in both offensive and defensive movements, as judokas must maintain their postural stability to effectively throw their opponents to the ground while simultaneously resisting counterattacks. The ability to control one’s center of gravity during rapid, complex movements directly impacts success in judo matches. Despite the importance of balance, there is limited research, especially involving female athletes, focusing on how acute muscle fatigue—common during both training and competition—affects static and dynamic balance performances. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to investigate the effect of acute muscle fatigue on the static and dynamic balance performances of female judokas. In this study, a total of nine well-trained female judokas, who actively practice judo and regularly participate in competitive training programs in Konya province, voluntarily took part. The average age of the participants was 14.66±1.11 years, with a mean height of 158.77±4.49 cm, an average body weight of 50.75 ± 4.02 kg, and an average sports experience of 2.11±1.05 years. All participants underwent a standard warm-up protocol before testing. Initially, their static and dynamic balance performances were measured in a rested state using the Biodex Balance System. Subsequently, the participants performed a 30-second Wingate Anaerobic Test to induce acute muscular fatigue, which simulates the high-intensity efforts experienced during a judo match. Immediately after completing the fatigue protocol, the participants repeated the static and dynamic balance tests. The data collected before and after fatigue were analyzed using the paired sample t-test with SPSS 24.0 statistical software. The results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in the participants’ static balance performances between the rested and fatigued states (p>0.05). However, a significant decrease was observed in dynamic balance performance, specifically in the "overall" and "anterior-posterior (ante-post)" parameters following fatigue (p