Effects of Lower Limbs Exercise with Light and Heavy Loads on the Center of Gravity Sway

Background: Fatigue to the lower limbs due to exercise load affects the center of gravity sway (COGS) during standing, and the greater the load, the greater the COGS. Research Question: Do different exercise loads to the lower limbs have an effect on the COGS and does sitting/resting promote recovery after exercise. Methods: The subjects were 30 healthy young men. The COGS after light and heavy load exercises was compared after a 3-min sitting/resting period before and after the load exercises. For each test, the COGS was measured for 30 s. Bicycle pedaling for 30 s with loads of 1% (light load) and 7.5% (heavy load) of body weight was selected as the load exercise for the lower limbs. The x-axis and y-axis trajectory lengths, total trajectory length, outer peripheral area, and rectangular area were selected as variables affecting the COGS. Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance clarified that of all variables, COGS after heavy load exercises was significantly greater than that after light load exercises and during standing after sitting/resting. However, there was no significant difference in COGS after light load exercise and during standing. Significance: The COGS after heavy load exercise was greater than that after light load exercise. The light load exercise used in this study had no effect on COGS in young men. Even after heavy load exercise, the COGS recovered after a 3-min sitting/resting period.