2906bea619c63273d61-3e7e 20260216045502432 chitu:chitu chitkarauniversitypublications@chitkara.edu.in WEB-FORM Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Healthcare JMRH 23938536 23938544 10.15415/jmrh https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/ 01 9 2026 01 9 2026 12 1 10.15415/jmrh.2025.121 https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/2025/volume-12-and-issue-1/ Effect of Acute Exercise-Induced Fatigue on Reaction Time and Hand–Eye Coordination in Collegiate Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Keerthana. S . https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6895-5028 Ahamed Thajudeen. A College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Sowndarya. K . College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Dinesh. P . College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Rahul Ram. G College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Arunselvan. D . College of Physiotherapy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. Background: Fatigue is an inevitable consequence of sports participation, particularly during high intensity training and competition. Acute exercise induced fatigue has been shown to impair neuromuscular performance, increasing the likelihood of errors and injury. Purpose: To examine the effect of acute exercise induced fatigue on reaction time and hand–eye coordination in collegiate athletes. Methods: Forty male collegiate athletes aged 18–23 years were recruited through purposive sampling. Baseline demographic and anthropo metric data were collected, followed by assessment of reaction time using the ruler drop test and hand–eye coordination using the alternate hand wall toss test. Participants then performed the Bruce treadmill inclined exercise protocol to induce fatigue, validated by achieving ≥85% of predicted maximum heart rate and a Borg exertion score ≥7. Post fatigue, reaction time and coordination tests were repeated. Data were analyzed using paired t tests, with significance set at p < 0.05, and effect sizes calculated using Cohen’s d. Results: Following the fatigue protocol, mean reaction time showed a significant delay (pre fatigue: 0.189 ± 0.0026 s; post fatigue: 0.1937 ± 0.0026 s; mean difference: 0.0047 s; t = 6.08, p < 0.01; Cohen’s d = 0.96). Similarly, hand–eye coordination significantly declined (pre fatigue: 29.65 ± 3.5 catches; post fatigue: 28.35 ± 3.8 catches; mean reduction: 1.3 catches; t = −4.49, p < 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.71). Conclusion: Acute exercise induced fatigue adversely affects both reaction time and hand–eye coordination in collegiate athletes, likely due to combined central and peripheral fatigue mechanisms. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating fatigue management, adequate recovery, and reaction time training into athletic conditioning programs to optimize performance and reduce injury risk. 01 09 2026 01 09 2026 22 28 10.15415/jmrh.2025.121003 https://jmrh.chitkara.edu.in/2025/effect-of-acute-exercise-induced-fatigue-on-reaction-time-and-hand-eye-coordination-in-collegiate-athletes-a-cross-sectional-study/