Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2025
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Kinesiology and Sport Management
First Advisor
Hyung Suk Yang
Abstract
Mental fatigue influences both cognitive and physical performance, but its specific effects on proprioception have not been widely explored. This study aimed to examine how mental fatigue affects shoulder and knee joint repositioning senses. A joint repositioning task was used to assess proprioception in 18 college-aged males, with measurements taken for both shoulder and knee joint angles before and after a mental fatigue-inducing intervention. The Stroop task was employed to induce mental fatigue between the conditions. Results showed a significant increase in shoulder flexion variable error (p = 0.01, pre-Stroop = 2.79 ± 1.31 degrees, post-Stroop = 4.97 ± 3.20 degrees), suggesting that mental fatigue impairs proprioceptive consistency in the shoulder. However, no significant differences were found for knee angles (p = 0.435, pre-Stroop = 4.99 ± 3.73 degrees, post-Stroop = 4.44 ± 2.66 degrees). These findings indicate a potential link between mental fatigue and proprioception, particularly in upper body movements. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms of this relationship and to determine whether similar effects occur in other joints, as well as in other populations such as females and older adults. Expanding this line of inquiry could provide important insights into how cognitive fatigue impacts motor control and athletic performance.
Subject Categories
Kinesiology
Keywords
Joint Repositioning Mental Fatigue Proprioception
Number of Pages
22
Publisher
University of South Dakota
Recommended Citation
Kehrwald, Collin, "Mental Fatigue Effect On Joint Repositioning" (2025). Dissertations and Theses. 332.
https://red.library.usd.edu/diss-thesis/332