Acute Effects of Maximal Exercise on Balance and Cognitive Domains in Young Men

The project involves conducting a series of motor, physiological, biochemical, and psychological tests.

The series of tests within the experiment will assess the effect of a single aerobic exercise (graded test) on changes in sensory organization and balance performance (based on the SOT test conducted on the Smart Balancemaster dynamic computerized posturography platform from Neurocom, USA) as well as cognitive functions in the Go/No-Go and Stroop tasks.

Research Design:

The study will be conducted in two rounds, each repeating the following design. Participants from both groups will complete cognitive tests, including the SOT sensory organization test. The first group will then undergo exercise (graded test), followed by a repeat of the SOT and cognitive tests. The second group will complete only the repeated SOT and cognitive tests. In the second round of testing, the design will be reversed for the groups.

In groups that will perform the exercise test in a given series, blood will be collected three times to assess lactate concentration.

The aim of the experiments will be to answer the fundamental question:

To what extent do external factors disrupt or modify the sensory organization of balance and the efficiency of this process?

What impact can cognitive impairments have on this process?

Achieving this goal will require answering a number of specific questions:

• To what extent does aerobic exercise affect sensory organization and the efficiency of balance?
• To what extent does aerobic exercise affect cognitive functions, and to what extent does impairment in these functions affect sensory organization and the efficiency of balance?

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Basic Science
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: maximal exercise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Krakow, Poland, 31-572
    • University of Physical Education, 31-571 Kraków, Poland

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Good health
• No orthopedic injuries in the limbs (ankle and knee joints)
• Ability to perform intense physical exercise

Exclusion Criteria:

• Obesity and overweight
• Chronic diseases
• Injuries suffered within 6 months before the start of the project
• Training in any sports discipline

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: MEx	Other: maximal exercise; Graded Exercise. The goal of the exercise was to bring the participant to maximum intensity. The test was performed on a cycle ergometer using a ramp protocol.
No Intervention: Con

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sensory analysis	Sensory organization (sensory integration; multi-sensory organization) is the ability of an individual to effectively process individual sensory system input cues to maintain balance control. This is done by suppressing inaccurate sensory system inputs while selecting appropriately from other, more accurate sensory cues to generate appropriate motor and postural response strategies. The Sensory Organization Test, systematically assesses this ability, objectively isolating and quantifying the use of each sensory system and the adaptive (or maladaptive) responses of the central nervous system. It is calculated as a ratio of Equilibrium scores. The result is expressed as an inverse percentage between 0 and 100.	Change from baseline to 20 minutes after intervention or after 20 minutes of passive rest
Balance Strategy	The relative use of movement about the ankle, hips and upper body to maintain balance during the SOT is reflected in the strategy scores. Shear forces are exerted against the support surface whenever the body's COG accelerates in the horizontal direction. Sway movements about the ankle are confined to low frequencies (below 0.5 Hz), the resulting COG accelerations and shear are small. Hip movements are typically fast (1 Hz and above) and therefore, generate larger shear forces which are also higher in frequency. Strategy scores are calculated by comparing the peak-to-peak amplitude of the shear oscillation to the maximum possible shear of 25 pounds (11.4 kg). This comparison is expressed as a percentage, with scores near 100 indicating little, if any, shear (i.e. full ankle strategy), while scores approaching zero indicate maximum shear (i.e. full hip strategy). All data describing the displacement of the center of gravity were recorded on a stilometric platform.	Change from baseline to 20 minutes after intervention or after 20 minutes of passive rest
Equilibrium scores	The equilibrium score for each trial is calculated by comparing the angular difference between the patient's maximum anterior to posterior COG displacements to this theoretical maximum displacement. All data describing the displacement of the center of gravity were recorded on a stilometric platform. The result is expressed as an inverse percentage between 0 and 100. Scores approaching 0 indicate sway amplitudes approaching the limits of stability with a value of 100 indicating perfect stability. A score of 0 indicates that the patient "fell" on that trial. The SOT consists of six trials: Test on a stationary platform with eyes open,; Test on a stationary platform with eyes closed,; Test on a stationary platform with eyes open, but moving surroundings,; Test on a moving platform, stationary surroundings, with eyes open,; Examination on a moving platform with eyes closed; Examination on a moving platform with eyes open a moving environment	Change from baseline to 20 minutes after intervention or after 20 minutes of passive rest
Stroop Test	Accuracy and reaction times were recorded for all trials. Reaction times (RTs) and response accuracy were calculated separately for congruent and incongruent trials. Accuracy was defined as the proportion of correct responses within each condition. RT analyses were restricted to correct trials only	Change from baseline to 20 minutes after intervention or after 20 minutes of passive rest

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University School of Physical Education, Krakow, Poland

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 20, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 9, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): January 9, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 10, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: RID/SP/0027/2024/01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No