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Spirometry improvement after muscular exercise in elite swimmers
Alessandro Rubini1, Alex Rizzato2, Simone Fava1
1Physiological Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|November 25, 2016
Summary
Swimming exercise enhances lung function (spirometry) by improving airway resistance and expiratory muscle strength. This study observed significant post-exercise improvements in highly trained swimmers, indicating positive physiological adaptations.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Sports Science
Background:
- Increased sympathetic activity is a known response to muscular effort, intensifying with load.
- Swimming training has been shown to improve spirometry and reduce airway resistance in various populations.
- The study investigates the impact of swimming exercise on spirometry, considering different durations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of muscular exercise (swimming) on spirometry.
- To determine if different swimming distances (800m vs. 1500m) yield varying spirometric results.
- To explore the physiological mechanisms behind exercise-induced changes in lung function.
Main Methods:
- Measurements taken from 9 highly trained male swimmers during competition.
- Spirometry data collected pre- (control) and post-exercise.
- Exercise consisted of either 800m or 1500m freestyle swimming sessions.
Main Results:
- A general trend of post-exercise spirometry improvement was observed.
- Significant increases in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and maximal expiratory flow at 75% (MEF75) occurred after both distances.
- Forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% (FEF25-75) and MEF25 improved after the 800m swim.
Conclusions:
- Muscular exercise, like swimming, improves spirometry.
- Mechanisms include smooth muscle relaxation, reduced airway resistance, and enhanced expiratory muscle strength.
- These improvements are linked to the increased sympathetic activity associated with exercise.
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