Exercise ventilatory kinematics in endurance trained and untrained men and women

To determine how increased ventilatory demand impacts ventilatory kinematics, we compared the total chest wall volume variations (V(CW)) of male and female endurance-trained athletes (ET) to untrained individuals (UT) during exercise. We hypothesized that training and gender would have an effect on V(CW) and kinematics at maximal exercise. Gender and training significantly influenced chest wall kinematics. Female ET did not change chest wall end-expiratory volume (V(CW,ee)) or pulmonary ribcage (V(RCp,ee)) with exercise, while female UT significantly decreased V(CW,ee) and V(RCp,ee) with exercise (p<0.05). Female ET significantly increased pulmonary ribcage end-inspiratory volume (V(RCp,ei)) with exercise (p<0.05), while female UT did not change V(RCp,ei) with exercise. Male ET significantly increased V(RCp,ei) with exercise (p<0.05); male UT did not. Men and women had significantly different variation of V(CW) (p<0.05). Women demonstrated the greatest variation of V(CW) in the pulmonary ribcage compartment (V(RCp)). Men had even volumes variation of the V(RCp) and the abdomen (V(Ab)). In conclusion, gender and training had a significant impact on ventilatory kinematics.