The effect of inspiratory muscle training on swimming performance, inspiratory muscle strength, lung function, and perceived breathlessness in elite swimmers: a randomized controlled trial

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Abstract

Background:

According to studies performed on terrestrial sports athletes, inspiratory muscle training (IMT) may improve athletes’ performance. However, evidence of its effects in elite swimmers is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effect of 12-week IMT on swimming performance, inspiratory muscle strength, lung function, and perceived breathlessness in elite swimmers.

Methods:

Elite swimmers from the main FC Porto swimming team (in competitive training for a minimum period of 3 years) were invited to participate and were randomly allocated into intervention or control groups. The intervention group performed 30 inspiratory efforts, twice a day, 5 times a week, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure, whereas the control group performed inspiratory efforts at the same frequency but against a 15% load. Swimming performance was assessed through time trials, converted into points according to International Swimming Federation Points Table. Outcomes were evaluated before and following the 12-week study period.

Results:

A total of 32 participants (22 girls) were included. The median age was 15 and 14 years old for the intervention (n = 17) and control (n = 12) groups, respectively. No differences were found in swimming performance (P = .271), inspiratory muscle strength ( P = .914), forced vital capacity ( P = .262), forced expiratory volume in 1st second ( P = .265), peak expiratory flow ( P = .270), and perceived breathlessness ( P = .568) between groups after 12 weeks of intervention.

Conclusion:

Twelve weeks of IMT had no effect on swimming performance, lung function, and perceived breathlessness in elite swimmers. These results may be related to swimming-specific factors and/or an applied load insufficient to achieve training overload that could induce further improvements.

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Most cited references 25

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The assessment of maximal respiratory mouth pressures in adults.

J Whitelaw, Bronwen Evans (2009)

Maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) are simple, convenient, and noninvasive indices of respiratory muscle strength at the mouth, but standards are not clearly established. We review recent literature, update the 2002 American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement, and propose as the best choice using a flanged mouthpiece for reference values and lower limit of normal (LLN) values as a function of age for adults age up to about 70 years. Because male pressures are higher than female and MEP exceeds MIP, we present 4 linear regression reference equations as a function of age for adults age up to approximately 70 years: Male MIP=120-(0.41xage), and male MIP LLN=62-(0.15xage). Male MEP=174-(0.83xage), and male MEP LLN=117-(0.83xage). Female MIP=108-(0.61xage), and female MIP LLN=62-(0.50xage). Female MEP=131-(0.86xage), and female MEP LLN=95-(0.57xage). (Pressure in cm H2O and age in years.) We discuss normal values in older subjects, estimation of LLN values, and the relationship between vital capacity and respiratory muscle strength, and offer a guide to interpretation of maximal pressure measurements. The approach should allow direct implementation of MIP and MEP in a pulmonary function laboratory.

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Inspiratory muscle training improves rowing performance.

Patrick A. McConnell, Y Koutedakis, G. Davies … (2001)

To investigate the effects of a period of resistive inspiratory muscle training (IMT) upon rowing performance. Performance was appraised in 14 female competitive rowers at the commencement and after 11 wk of inspiratory muscle training on a rowing ergometer by using a 6-min all-out effort and a 5000-m trial. IMT consisted of 30 inspiratory efforts twice daily. Each effort required the subject to inspire against a resistance equivalent to 50% peak inspiratory mouth pressure (PImax) by using an inspiratory muscle training device. Seven of the rowers, who formed the placebo group, used the same device but performed 60 breaths once daily with an inspiratory resistance equivalent to 15% PImax. The inspiratory muscle strength of the training group increased by 44 +/- 25 cm H2O (45.3 +/- 29.7%) compared with only 6 +/- 11 cm H2O (5.3 +/- 9.8%) of the placebo group (P < 0.05 within and between groups). The distance covered in the 6-min all-out effort increased by 3.5 +/- 1.2% in the training group compared with 1.6 +/- 1.0% in the placebo group (P < 0.05). The time in the 5000-m trial decreased by 36 +/- 9 s (3.1 +/- 0.8%) in the training group compared with only 11 +/- 8 s (0.9 +/- 0.6%) in the placebo group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the resistance of the training group to inspiratory muscle fatigue after the 6-min all-out effort was improved from an 11.2 +/- 4.3% deficit in PImax to only 3.0 +/- 1.6% (P < 0.05) pre- and post-intervention, respectively. IMT improves rowing performance on the 6-min all-out effort and the 5000-m trial.

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Inspiratory muscle training attenuates the human respiratory muscle metaboreflex.

Jordan A. Guenette, Jim L. Rupert, Erica McKenzie … (2007)

We hypothesized that inspiratory muscle training (IMT) would attenuate the sympathetically mediated heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) increases normally observed during fatiguing inspiratory muscle work. An experimental group (Exp, n = 8) performed IMT 6 days per week for 5 weeks at 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), while a control group (Sham, n = 8) performed IMT at 10% MIP. Pre- and post-training, subjects underwent a eucapnic resistive breathing task (RBT) (breathing frequency = 15 breaths min(-1), duty cycle = 0.70) while HR and MAP were continuously monitored. Following IMT, MIP increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the Exp group (-125 +/- 10 to -146 +/- 12 cmH(2)O; mean +/- s.e.m.) but not in the Sham group (-141 +/- 11 to -148 +/- 11 cmH(2)O). Prior to IMT, the RBT resulted in significant increases in HR (Sham: 59 +/- 2 to 83 +/- 4 beats min(-1); Exp: 62 +/- 3 to 83 +/- 4 beats min(-1)) and MAP (Sham: 88 +/- 2 to 106 +/- 3 mmHg; Exp: 84 +/- 1 to 99 +/- 3 mmHg) in both groups relative to rest. Following IMT, the Sham group observed similar HR and MAP responses to the RBT while the Exp group failed to increase HR and MAP to the same extent as before (HR: 59 +/- 3 to 74 +/- 2 beats min(-1); MAP: 84 +/- 1 to 89 +/- 2 mmHg). This attenuated cardiovascular response suggests a blunted sympatho-excitation to resistive inspiratory work. We attribute our findings to a reduced activity of chemosensitive afferents within the inspiratory muscles and may provide a mechanism for some of the whole-body exercise endurance improvements associated with IMT.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Porto Biomed J

Journal ID (publisher-id): PJ9

Title: Porto Biomedical Journal

ISSN (Print): 2444-8664

ISSN (Electronic): 2444-8672

Publication date Collection: Nov-Dec 2019

Publication date (Electronic): 24 October 2019

Volume: 4

Issue: 6

Electronic Location Identifier: e49

Affiliations

[a ]Basic and Clinical Immunology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine

[b ]EPIUnit-Instituto de Saúde Pública, Universidade do Porto

[c ]Serviço de Imunoalergologia, Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João, EPE, Porto, Portugal.

Author notes

[∗ ]Corresponding author. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro 4200-309 Porto, Portugal. E-mail address: anamarisa_c@ 123456hotmail.com (Marisa Cunha).

Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article

Article

Publisher ID: PBJ-D-19-00033 Accession ID: 00004

DOI: 10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000049

PMC ID: 7819540

PubMed ID: 33501396

SO-VID: acfdb112-520c-490b-8098-904bd95be310

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

History

Date received : 8 July 2019

Date accepted : 16 July 2019

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Keywords: breathlessness,inspiratory muscle strength,inspiratory muscle training,lung function,swimming performance

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Keywords: breathlessness, inspiratory muscle strength, inspiratory muscle training, lung function, swimming performance

The effect of inspiratory muscle training on swimming performance, inspiratory muscle strength, lung function, and perceived breathlessness in elite swimmers: a randomized controlled trial

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Most cited references 25

The assessment of maximal respiratory mouth pressures in adults.

Inspiratory muscle training improves rowing performance.

Inspiratory muscle training attenuates the human respiratory muscle metaboreflex.

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