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. 2021 Aug 10;10(16):3514.
doi: 10.3390/jcm10163514.

Impact of a Breathing Intervention on Engagement of Abdominal, Thoracic, and Subclavian Musculature during Exercise, a Randomized Trial

Petr Bahenský  1 , Václav Bunc  2 , Renata Malátová  1 , David Marko  1 , Gregory J Grosicki  3 , Jan Schuster  1
Affiliations

Impact of a Breathing Intervention on Engagement of Abdominal, Thoracic, and Subclavian Musculature during Exercise, a Randomized Trial

Petr Bahenský et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Breathing technique may influence endurance exercise performance by reducing overall breathing work and delaying respiratory muscle fatigue. We investigated whether a two-month yoga-based breathing intervention could affect breathing characteristics during exercise.

Methods: Forty-six endurance runners (age = 16.6 ± 1.2 years) were randomized to either a breathing intervention or control group. The contribution of abdominal, thoracic, and subclavian musculature to respiration and ventilation parameters during three different intensities on a cycle ergometer was assessed pre- and post-intervention.

Results: Post-intervention, abdominal, thoracic, and subclavian ventilatory contributions were altered at 2 W·kg-1 (27:23:50 to 31:28:41), 3 W·kg-1 (26:22:52 to 28:31:41), and 4 W·kg-1 (24:24:52 to 27:30:43), whereas minimal changes were observed in the control group. More specifically, a significant (p < 0.05) increase in abdominal contribution was observed at rest and during low intensity work (i.e., 2 and 3 W·kg-1), and a decrease in respiratory rate and increase of tidal volume were observed in the experimental group.

Conclusions: These data highlight an increased reliance on more efficient abdominal and thoracic musculature, and less recruitment of subclavian musculature, in young endurance athletes during exercise following a two-month yoga-based breathing intervention. More efficient ventilatory muscular recruitment may benefit endurance performance by reducing energy demand and thus optimize energy requirements for mechanical work.

Keywords: adolescents; breathing exercise; breathing pattern; diaphragm; load.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The positions of the location of probes on the body.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Engagement of breathing sectors at rest (A), during deep breathing (B), under load 2 W·kg−1 (C), under load 3 W·kg−1 (D), under load 4 W·kg−1 (E) pre and post intervention.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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