Effect of Inspiratory Muscle Training on the Performance of Handball Athletes

Overview

This study investigated the effects of an inspiratory muscle training (IMT) program on the respiratory muscle strength and resistance and the aerobic physical performance (PP) of handball athletes. Nineteen male athletes took part in the study, allocated at random into the experimental group (EG, n=10) and the placebo group (PG, n=9), aged 19±1 and 22±5 years old, respectively. The respiratory muscle strength (RMS) was evaluated by measuring the maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP, respectively), the muscular respiratory resistance was evaluated by maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and the aerobic PP by applying the cardiopulmonary exercise test. Subsequently the volunteers were submitted to an IMT protocol 5 times a week for 12 weeks.

The study was designed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week IMT program on the respiratory muscle strength and aerobic physical performance of handball players. Nineteen male athletes took part in the study, divided into the experimental group (EG), which took part in the evaluations, maintained their regular sporting activities and carried out the IMT (n=10), and the placebo group (PG), which took part in the evaluations, maintained their regular sporting activities and carried out an IMT with a load considered to be placebo (n=09), Experimental procedures were carried out by trained researchers and a qualified team. The evaluations and IMT were carried out during the competitive season, the training frequency being based on the competition program, following the traditional annual model. The athletes were submitted to an initial evaluation composed of measuring the respiratory muscle strength (RMS) using a manovacuometer, and an evaluation of the aerobic physical performance carried out using the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). The athletes were reevaluated after 12 weeks for subsequent analysis and comparison with the initial values. All the subjects were previously informed about the experimental procedures, and signed a free and clarified term of consent. The project was approved by the Ethics in Research Committee of the Institution with the number 62/13.