Abstract
This study investigated whether the addition of eight weeks of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) to a regular preseason soccer training program, including incremental endurance training (IET), would change pulmonary function, lung ventilation, and aerobic performance in young soccer players. Sixteen club-level competitive junior soccer players (mean age 17.63 ± 0.48 years, height 182 ± 0.05 cm, body mass 68.88 ± 4.48 kg) participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (n = 8) and control (n = 8). Both groups performed regular preseason soccer training, including endurance workouts as IET. In addition to this training, the experimental group performed additional IMT for eigght weeks with a commercially available respiratory muscle trainer (Threshold IMT), with a total of 80 inhalations (twice per day, five days per week). Pre- and post-intervention tests of pulmonary function, maximal inspiratory pressure, and the Cooper test were implemented. Eight weeks of IMT had a positive impact on expiratory muscle strength (p = 0.001); however, there was no significant effect on respiratory function parameters. The results also indicate increased efficiency of the inspiratory muscles, contributing to an improvement in aerobic endurance, measured by VO₂max estimated from running distance in the cardiorespiratory Cooper test (p < 0.005).
Highlights
The effectiveness of soccer players depends on morphological, functional, and psychological factors, which determine appropriate playing tactics and success in soccer matches [1,2,3]
Our results show that the application of an additional inspiratory muscle training (IMT) program significantly increased the inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and improved aerobic tolerance, which was directly related to players’ improvement in endurance capacity
The present study showed that 8 weeks of IMT using the Threshold IMT Philips Respironics device could enhance soccer players’ aerobic endurance, as determined by the conversion of running distance from the cardiorespiratory Cooper test into VO2 max
Summary
The effectiveness of soccer players depends on morphological, functional, and psychological factors, which determine appropriate playing tactics and success in soccer matches [1,2,3]. The ability to perform intense exercise declines towards the end of a match, as well as immediately after the most intense periods of the game [9,10]. In this context, the implementation of a well-developed aerobic fitness training program helps soccer players to maintain repetitive high-intensity actions during a soccer match, accelerate their recovery process, and maintain their physical condition at an optimum level throughout the entire game and competition season [11]. Public Health 2020, 17, 234; doi:10.3390/ijerph17010234 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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