Introduction: Changes in breathing occur during physical exercise as an adaptation to increased energy consumption. Intentional breathing patterns can affect physiological responses and exertion perception. Purpose: The aim of this study is to find and explain differences in the energy consumption and exertion perception while performing a short-term low-intensity trunk stabilization exercise with hand-oscillation using different breathing frequencies and airway resistance. Methods: Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, fifteen healthy young adults have participated in the study. Firstly, resting values were measured. Afterwards, participants performed a single trunk stabilization exercise three times: with locomotor-respiratory coupling (LRC) 1:1 and physiological airway resistance, LRC 1:1 and LRC 1:7 with increased airway resistance. While performing the exercise, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory quotient, heart rate, ventilation and respiratory
equivalent were measured with Quark PFT. Afterwards, participants answered a questionnaire on exertion perception. Data was analysed using LibreOffice Calc and SigmaStat with the significance level P<0.05. Results: Measured variables meet expected values for short-
term low-intensity aerobic exercise combined with static resistance exercise. Analysis showed statistically relevant difference during active phases of measurement, with the
breathing type using LRC 1:1 and increased expiratory pressure having the lowest average values of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory quotient and heart rate and was labelled as the least difficult to perform by participants. There were no differences observed among breathing types during inactive phases. Discussion and conclusion: Results may indicate that the breathing type using LRC 1:1 and increased airway resistance is energetically most efficient for the given exercise. The observed differences can be attributed to the use of positive expiratory pressure, anaerobic component of the chosen exercise, partial occlusion of active muscles' vascular system, hyperventilation and fatigue. Further research should focus on discrimination between purely aerobic or anaerobic type of exercise for a given muscle group. Effects of other frequently used patterns of breathing during exercise should also be investigated in future studies.
|