Impact of mental and physical fatigue on kinesthetic perception of school children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of physical and mental fatigue on kinesthetic perception in school children aged 11 to 13 years. A sample of 40 students (25 boys and 15 girls) from Thunchathacharya Vidyalayam, Kannur, was randomly selected. Physical fatigue was induced through a game of Kho-Kho, while mental fatigue was induced using a standardized Group Test of Intelligence. Kinesthetic perception was measured using the Distance Perception Jump test, where participants attempted to replicate a specified jump distance under blindfolded conditions. Statistical analysis using paired and independent t-tests revealed that boys exhibited greater impairment in kinesthetic perception under physical fatigue, while girls were more affected by mental fatigue. However, no significant difference was observed between boys and girls regarding overall kinesthetic perception under either fatigue condition. The study highlights the differential impact of fatigue types on psychomotor abilities across genders, providing insights for designing tailored interventions in physical education and sports training.