Physiological effects of combined breathing and physical training in middle-aged and older adults.
Satoshi Kido, Akiko Sato, Yasuhiro Nakajima and 3 others
PMID 39764304WHAT IT FOUND
Adding breathing resistance to walking or cycling did not change peak oxygen uptake or workload after 6 weeks.
Maximum air moved per minute increased, but the study was small.
Key findings
01Peak workload and peak oxygen uptake did not differ significantly within or between groups.
02Adding breathing resistance to exercise increased maximal voluntary ventilation after training in the breathing-resistance group.
03The 21 participants analysed had no adverse events during the study period.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 21 participants were analysed, so the results are fragile. The paper does not name a primary outcome. Participants were recruited from neighbourhood residents, so they may not represent other older adults. The breathing-resistance group had 6 men and the control group had 1 man, so sex differences may affect outcomes. Participants could choose cycling or walking, so exercise modality was not standardised. Exercise intensity was low to moderate and may have been insufficient to improve aerobic capacity. People with cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic disease were excluded, so findings do not apply to those conditions. The paper does not report whether participants or testers were blinded.
Declared interests
This study was supported by JSPS KAKENHI grant number 26750192. The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that breathing resistance improves aerobic fitness in older adults. Peak oxygen uptake and peak workload did not change, and the study included only 21 analysed participants.