Influence of voluntary isocapnic hyperpnoea on recovery after high-intensity exercise in elite short-track speedskaters – randomized controlled trial

Respiratory muscle training plays a significant role in reducing blood lactate concentration (bLa) and attenuating negative physiological stress reactions. Therefore, we investigated if voluntary isocapnic hyperpnoea (VIH) performed after a maximum anaerobic effort influences bLa and perceived fatigue level in well-trained speedskaters. 39 elite short-track speedskaters participated in a trial with two parallel groups: experimental and control. All the participants performed the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT). The experimental group performed a VIH-based recovery protocol 20 min after exercise, the control group used passive recovery only. Blood samples were taken 3 and 30 min after the WAnT to measure bLa. Fatigue was self-appraised on a 0–10 perceived rating-of-fatigue (ROF) scale 3 and 30 min after the WAnT. Noteworthy, but not statistically significant changes between the experimental and control groups were observed for changes in bLa ( p = 0.101). However, statistically significant changes between the groups were found for ROF ( p = 0.003, η p 2 = 0.211, ω 2 = 0.106). Moreover, statistically significant interactions between post-exercise bLa clearance and VO 2 max ( p = 0.028) and inspiratory muscle strength ( p = 0.040) were observed. Our findings provided preliminary insight that VIH may be an efficient recovery protocol after anaerobic exercise performed by elite athletes. The association between VO 2 max and post-exercise bLa clearance indicates the vital role of aerobic fitness in repeated-efforts ability in short-track speedskaters. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT05994092 on 15th August 2023.