The relationship between anthropometry and respiratory muscle function in land- and water-based athletes

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to gain more information on respiratory muscle function ofteam sports. This was achieved by determining the relationship between anthropometryand respiratory muscle function and the relationship between respiratory muscle functionand exercise performance. The degree of respiratory muscle fatigue after a speedendurance test on land and in water was also determined.A total of 62 subjects were tested. The group consisted of 14 netball players (age: 20.9 ±SD 2.0 years; height: 172.5 ± SD 6.1cm and weight: 66.6 ± SD 7.8 kg); 15 rugby players(age: 21.7 ± SD 2.2 years; height: 183.1 ± SD 7.3cm and weight: 92.5 ± SD 13.2 kg); 12male swimmers (age: 18.9 ± SD 2.5 years; height: 183.3 ± SD 6.5cm and weight: 77.2 ±SD 8.6 kg); 8 female swimmers (age: 17.8 ± SD 1.6 years; height: 168.3 ± SD 5.4cm andweight: 63.9 ± SD 9.8 kg); 7 male control subjects (age: 21.4 ± SD 1.5 years; height: 179.7± SD 5.0cm and weight: 80.8 ± SD 10.8 kg) and 6 female control subjects (age: 21.5 ± SD1.5 years; height: 166.9 ± SD 6.5cm and weight: 60.2 ± SD 6.7 kg). Testing includedanthropometric measurements, lung function (FVC test), and respiratory muscle function(baseline MIP, MEP, MVV). Netball -, rugby players and the control subjects performed aspeed endurance test on land and the swimmers performed a speed endurance test in theswimming pool. This test was followed by a second MIP measurement 60 and 120 secondsafter the sprint endurance test.Respiratory muscle strength showed no correlations to anthropometry for men and women.For men, height, weight, sitting height, biiacromiale breath and waist girth accounted for17% of the variance in MIP (P = 0.34). The variance in MEP was accounted for 15.6% byheight, weight, sitting height, biacromiale breath and waist girth (P = 0.41). For women,weight, sitting height, arm span, biacromiale breath and chest girth accounted for 28.4% ofthe variance in MIP (P = 0.17), but MEP was accounted for only 22% by sitting height, armlength, arm span and body mass index as well as chest girth (P = 0.32).Respiratory muscle endurance showed correlations to certain anthropometry variables andhad a significant regression equations for MVV in men: -312.51 + (2.83 x Arm span) –(0.38 x Sum of 8 skinfolds) and arm span and sum of eight skinfolds accounted for 47.3% of the variance in MVV. Women's MVV also had a significant regression (P = 0.002): -106.7 + (1.5 x Body mass) + (1.0 x Arm span) – (0.2 x Sum of 8skinfolds) and weight, armspan and sum of eight skinfolds accounted for 45% of the variance in MVV.Only MIP and MEP had significant correlations (r = 0.63, P < 0.01 and r = 0.66, P < 0.02respectively) to the speed endurance test on land. Although significant, MVV and FVCshowed no correlations to the speed endurance test. Both MIP and MEP had a correlationto the speed endurance test in the water (r = -0.55, P < 0.02 for both). FVC also had acorrelation to the speed endurance test, although it was not significant (r = -0.51, P < 0.44).MVV had a poor correlation to the speed endurance test.Sixty seconds after the speed endurance test the land –based group's (netball and rugbyplayers grouped together) RM were 14.39% fatigued compared to the 9.04% of the water –based group (swimmers) and 41.02% of the control group. One hundred and twentyseconds after the sprint endurance test the land –based group's RM were 8.43 fatiguedcompared to the 3.54% of the water –based group and the 24.64% of the control group.In conclusion, anthropometry plays a moderate role in RM endurance but even a smallerrole in RM strength. The relationship between RM functions and the speed endurance testvaried between the land – and water –based groups, but certain RM function can play amoderate role in the performance in this speed endurance test. All the groups experiencedfatigue after the speed endurance test, but the degree was more in the control groupfollowed by the land –based athletes compared to the water –based athletes. Thisindicates that stronger RM function can lead to less RM fatigue.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University