Efficacy of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Elite Swimmers

NCT ID: NCT03062735

Last Updated: 2017-02-23

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-02-06
• Study Completion Date: 2017-05-31

Brief Summary

This study is a randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of inspiratory muscle training on swimming performance, airway dysfunction and perceived breathlessness in elite swimmers.

Detailed Description

Only a few studies have assessed the impact of Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) on swim performance with unclear and inconsistent results. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a 12-week IMT program in swimming performance, airway dysfunction and perceived breathlessness among elite swimmers. Participants will be recruited from the elite competitive Futebol Clube do Porto swimming team. After consent, individuals will be randomly allocated into the IMT or Sham-IMT group. A pressure threshold device will be used to perform the inspiratory training. The IMT group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice a day, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). Sham-IMT group will follow a similar protocol, except for the inspiratory effort that will be made against 15% of MIP. Measures of lung function, swimming performance, airway dysfunction, inspiratory muscle strength and perceived breathlessness will be assessed at the beginning and then in 4 weeks intervals until the end of study period. All outcome measures will be assessed by an investigator who will be not involved in the intervention process. Data will be expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD) and respective 95% confidence interval. The significance level will be 5% (p˂0.05).

Conditions

Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (Disorder); Muscle Weakness; Dyspnea

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: OTHER
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Inspiratory Muscle Training

Inspiratory Muscle Training intervention (Sham-IMT) groups during a 3 months training season. A pressure threshold device (POWERbreathe - HaB International Ltd., UK) will be used to IMT. The IMT group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice daily, for 12 weeks, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Inspiratory Muscle Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

The Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice a day, for 12 weeks, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure.

Sham Inspiratory Muscle Training

Sham-IMT group will follow a similar protocol, except the inspiratory effort that will be made against 15% MIP. The duration of each IMT session will be 30 inspirations. After the initial setting of training loads, the IMT group will be instructed to periodically increase load so that only 30 maneuvers could be completed. The Sham-IMT group will not receive these instructions. All the IMT sessions, in both groups will take place before swimming training and will be supervised throughout the intervention period to ensure that technique and load will be appropriate.

Group Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR

Sham Inspiratory Muscle Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

The Sham Inspiratory Muscle Training (Sham-IMT) group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice a day, for 12 weeks, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 15% of maximal inspiratory pressure.

Interventions

Inspiratory Muscle Training

The Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice a day, for 12 weeks, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Sham Inspiratory Muscle Training

The Sham Inspiratory Muscle Training (Sham-IMT) group will perform 30 inspiratory efforts, 5 times a week, twice a day, for 12 weeks, against a pressure threshold load equivalent to 15% of maximal inspiratory pressure.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy elite swimmers engaged in competitive training for a minimum period of three years;
• Individuals with no disability;
• Individuals aged between 14 and 40 years.

Exclusion Criteria

• Individuals presenting co-morbidities or physical impairment that affects regular training;
• Smokers;
• Athletes already in a regular respiratory muscle training program
• Individuals with a predicted forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) below 60%.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 14 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Universidade do Porto

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

André Moreira, MD, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto

Locations

Faculty of Medicine of Porto University

Porto, Porto District, Portugal

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Portugal

Central Contacts

Marisa Cunha, MSc

Role: CONTACT

anamarisa_c@hotmail.com

00351914955278

Facility Contacts

André Moreira, MD, PhD

Role: primary

andremoreira@med.up.pt

00351932730090

Other Identifiers

PEAKNORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000010

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id