Swimming-induced changes in pulmonary function: special observations for clinical testing

Abstract

Background A special improvement in pulmonary function is found in swimmers. In clinical testing the airway reactivity is observed at certain exercise intensity and target ventilation. However, in highly trained swimmers exercising in water the reactions may not function the same way. The aim was to study the combined effects of the water environment and swimming on pulmonary function and the associations with perceived symptoms. Methods First, 412 competitive swimmers completed questionnaires concerning respiratory symptoms at different swimming intensities. Then, pulmonary function testing was performed in 14 healthy elite swimmers. Spirometry and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) were measured on land and in water before and after swimming. While swimming, minute ventilation (VE) tidal volume (VT) and breathing frequency (fb) were measured during competition speed swimming. Results Swimmers reported the most symptoms at competition speed intensity swimming. In the transition from the land into the water swimming body position, the ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced expiratory capacity (FVC) (FEV1/FVC) decreased by a mean (SD) 5.3 % (3) in females and by 2.2 % (5) in males. During competition speed intensity swimming, the minute ventilation (VE) had a mean of 72 and 75 % of calculated maximal voluntary ventilation (cMVV) in females and in males, respectively. Conclusions Spirometry showed sex differences in water compared to land measurements. These differences should be considered when the effects of swimming are observed. During the intensity that triggered the symptoms the most, the VE was approximately 20 % higher than the target ventilations for clinical testing. These findings encourages specific modifications of clinical testing protocols for elite swimmers.

Integration of project based learning models with interactive multimedia: Innovative efforts to improve student breaststroke swimming skills

“…Thus, physical fitness is also maintained [11,12,13,14,15], which is related to physical health [16,17,18]. A study based on the results of clinical trials showed that swimmers found specific improvements in lung function [19]. The results of this review have provided an illustration that swimming is a very important water sport, both for physical abilities and health-related fitness.…”

Pulmonary Function Test: Relationship Between Adolescent Swimmers and Finswimmers

“…Finswimming is a competitive sports practiced at the surface and/or underwater with monofins (MF) and/or bifins (BF), with variable rigidity for propulsion purposes and snorkeling for breathing (surface and BF events) [ 1 ]. Spirometry on finswimmers (FSWs) reports higher predicted values in spirometry potentially accounting for training, the water environment, body position, and breathing pattern [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Breathing patterns are different during swimming and finswimming.…”

“…Breathing patterns are different during swimming and finswimming. During free swimming, the inspiratory phase of the breathing cycle is timed to coincide with arm strokes, which limit the duration of inhalation [ 3 ], while in finswimming, athletes often utilize breath holding during swimming [ 2 ]. However, breath holding during swimming (stroke cycle) and finswimming exert a physiological effect on respiratory parameters and modulate respiratory muscle strength [ 1 ], which is generally underexplored in the literature.…”

Investigation of the effect of basic swimming education course on some respiratory parameters of university students

“…Therefore, to provide adequate airflow to the lungs during swimming, the special dynamics of breathing occur by a rapid inhalation near total lung capacity (TLC), negative pressure during inhalation and prolonged exhalation into water due to the necessity to coordinate breathing with the upper limb cycle (Päivinen, Keskinen & Tikkanen, 2021). Increased work of respiratory muscles can lead to their fatigue and a sense of dyspnoea, which, in turn, can impair the ability to perform physical exercise (Szczepan et al, 2020).…”