Inspiratory Muscle Training in American Football Players

NCT ID: NCT07246655

Last Updated: 2026-01-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 24 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-11-20
• Study Completion Date: 2026-01-21

Brief Summary

The aim of the randomized controlled study is to investigate the effects of high-intensity inspiratory muscle training on respiratory strength, balance, and core endurance in American Football (Tackle Football) athletes.

Detailed Description

After completing baseline assessments, participants will be randomly assigned to either the High-Intensity Inspiratory Muscle Training group (IMT Group) or the Control Group (CG) using simple randomization procedures.

All athletes in both groups will continue their regular team-based strength and conditioning routines throughout the 8-week study period. Participants in the IMT Group will additionally perform a high-intensity inspiratory muscle training protocol three times per week, with training loads set at approximately 80% of each athlete's measured maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). Training intensity will be reassessed bi-weekly and adjusted according to updated MIP values to ensure that the prescribed load is maintained throughout the intervention. The Control Group will not receive inspiratory muscle training and will perform only their routine training program.

All athletes will be evaluated at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention. Outcome measures will include respiratory muscle strength (MIP/MEP), dynamic and static balance performance, core muscle endurance (McGill core endurance tests), and sport-specific performance parameters relevant to American football. Assessments will be carried out by the same researcher to minimize inter-rater variability, and all training sessions will be supervised to ensure protocol adherence.

Data will be collected and recorded systematically at both time points, and all procedures will follow established ATS/ERS guidelines for respiratory muscle testing and standard sports science assessment protocols.

Conditions

Inspiratory Muscle Training

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

High-Intensity Inspiratory Muscle Training Group

Inspiratory muscle training Team strength and conditioning training

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

High-Intensity Inspiratory Muscle Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the IMT Group will perform an 8-week high-intensity inspiratory muscle training protocol in addition to their routine team-based strength and conditioning program. Training loads will be individualized based on each athlete's maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and set at approximately 80% of MIP. Loads will be reassessed every two weeks, and the resistance will be adjusted to maintain the prescribed intensity.

Control Group

Team strength and conditioning training

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control Group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the Control Group will continue their standard team-based strength, conditioning, and field training sessions throughout the 8-week study period. They will not receive inspiratory muscle training or any additional respiratory intervention.

Interventions

High-Intensity Inspiratory Muscle Training

Participants in the IMT Group will perform an 8-week high-intensity inspiratory muscle training protocol in addition to their routine team-based strength and conditioning program. Training loads will be individualized based on each athlete's maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and set at approximately 80% of MIP. Loads will be reassessed every two weeks, and the resistance will be adjusted to maintain the prescribed intensity.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Control Group

Participants in the Control Group will continue their standard team-based strength, conditioning, and field training sessions throughout the 8-week study period. They will not receive inspiratory muscle training or any additional respiratory intervention.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Self-identified male American football athletes
• Ages 18 to 35 years
• Actively participating in team-based training at the time of study enrollment
• Minimum 1 year of organized American football training experience
• Able to perform high-intensity inspiratory muscle training (IMT)
• No history of acute respiratory infection in the past 4 weeks
• Voluntary agreement to participate and ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Acute or chronic respiratory disease (e.g., uncontrolled asthma, COPD)
• History of major cardiovascular, neurological, or musculoskeletal disorders affecting performance
• Current rib, spine, abdominal, or core muscle injury
• Diagnosed pulmonary hypertension or unstable cardiac conditions
• Recent surgery (within the past 3 months)
• Inability to correctly perform inspiratory muscle training (IMT) device technique
• Participation in another interventional study within the last 30 days

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: MALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Namik Kemal University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Yeditepe University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Elif Develi, PhD.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Yeditepe University

Locations

Tekirdağ Namık Kemal Univercity

Tekirdağ, Süleymanpaşa, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

YeditepeU 312

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id