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Effect of endurance training on lung function: a one year study
P Kippelen1, C Caillaud, E Robert
1UPRES EA 701, Physiologie des Interactions, Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, F-34295 Montpellier, France.
British Journal of Sports Medicine
|August 25, 2005
Summary
Endurance athletes training in the Mediterranean showed no significant lung function impairment after a sports season. Minor airway changes were observed but were not clinically significant for these healthy athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Pulmonary Physiology
- Exercise Science
Background:
- Endurance athletes undergo rigorous training, potentially impacting respiratory health.
- Understanding airway adaptations in athletes training in specific environments, like the Mediterranean, is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate longitudinal airway changes in healthy endurance athletes over a sports season.
- To assess respiratory function and patterns during different training phases.
Main Methods:
- 13 healthy endurance athletes were monitored over a sports season.
- Respiratory function was assessed using spirometry and closing volume tests.
- Maximal exercise tests were conducted during basic, pre-competition, and competitive training periods.
Main Results:
- A slight, non-clinically significant decrease in forced vital capacity was noted during the competitive period.
- An increase in the slope of phase III of the single-breath nitrogen washout was observed.
- Maximal exercise revealed a tachypnoeic shift in breathing pattern during the competitive phase.
Conclusions:
- The study found no significant evidence of lung function impairment in healthy Mediterranean athletes after one year of endurance training.
- Observed airway changes were minor and did not indicate clinical impairment.