Effect of Acute Exercise-Induced Fatigue on Reaction Time and Hand–Eye Coordination in Collegiate Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study

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.