Key result
One year of endurance training links to a ~4% non-clinical decrease in FVC without lung impairment.
Why the study?
Airway changes during the course of a sport season in healthy endurance athletes training in a Mediterranean region were not well characterized.
Does endurance training over a sport season alter respiratory pattern and function in healthy endurance athletes?
Cohort (n=13)
Does endurance training over a sport season alter respiratory pattern and function in healthy endurance athletes?
One year of endurance training does not cause clinically significant lung function impairment in healthy athletes.
Non-clinically significant lung function shifts need no clinical action in healthy athletes; leaves open performance or long-term respiratory effects.
OBJECTIVE: To identify in a follow up study airway changes occurring during the course of a sport season in healthy endurance athletes training in a Mediterranean region. METHODS: Respiratory pattern and function were analysed in 13 healthy endurance trained athletes, either during a maximal exercise test, or at rest and during recovery through respiratory manoeuvres (spirometry and closing volume tests). The exercise test was conducted on three different occasions: during basic endurance training and then during the precompetition and competitive periods. RESULTS: During the competitive period, a slight but non-clinically significant decrease was found in forced vital capacity (-3.5%, p = 0.0001) and an increase in slope of phase III (+25%, p = 0.0029), both at rest and after exercise. No concomitant reduction in expiratory flow rates was noticed. During maximal exercise there was a tachypnoeic shift over the course of the year (mean (SEM) breathing frequency and tidal volume were respectively 50 (2) cycles/min and 3.13 (0.09) litres during basic endurance training v 55 (3) cycles/min and 2.98 (0.10) litres during the competitive period; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study does not provide significant evidence of lung function impairment in healthy Mediterranean athletes after one year of endurance training.
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Kippelen et al. (2005) conducted a cohort in healthy (n=13). endurance training vs. basic endurance training period was evaluated on forced vital capacity (-3.5% change, p=0.0001). One year of endurance training in healthy athletes resulted in a slight, non-clinically significant decrease in forced vital capacity (-3.5%, p=0.0001) without significant lung function impairment.
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