Respiratory Function, Runners
Conditions
Keywords
respiratory function, running performance, heart rate variability, mindfulness, breathwork, meditation
Brief summary
Broadly, the objective of the research is to evaluate the effectiveness of a specific breathwork program (Les Mills Breath) on various physiological variables related to running performance, compared to a mindfulness control (20 minutes of guided meditation). There are three specific research questions: 1) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program improve respiratory function more than a mindfulness control intervention? 2) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program improve heart rate variability (an indicator of parasympathetic nervous system activity which is associated with enhanced exercise recovery) more than a mindfulness control intervention? 3) Does daily participation in a 20-minute breathwork program increase self-selected running speeds at relative moderate and vigorous intensities more than a mindfulness control intervention? The intended outcomes of the current research are to contribute to the field of research which has examined various forms of "respiratory training" and their effects on athletic performance, specifically running. While certain training protocols have been shown to be effective, there are issues of accessibility which persist. Methods of respiratory training/breathwork which are more easily available to recreational athletes are understudied with regards to running performance, hence the current research.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMindful meditation
20-minute, video-based mindful meditation focusing on relaxation
BEHAVIORALBreathwork
20-minute, video-based meditation focusing on breathwork: physiological sigh, cyclic breathing with breath holds, resonant frequency breathing
Sponsors
University of the Fraser Valley
Les Mills International
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
19 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Must pass the Get Active Questionnaire to assess physical activity risk * Must regularly engage in recreational running for between 30 and 520 minutes per week
Exclusion criteria
* Running more than 520 minutes per week
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Preferred running speed at moderate intensity | From baseline to followup (4 weeks later) | Following a warmup, the speed on a treadmill will be increased until the participant signals that an exertion level of 12/20 is reached on the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, corresponding to moderate intensity and feeling "somewhat hard". The participant will run at this intensity for five minutes. The speed will be blinded to the participant throughout the data collection, encouraging them to rely on physical cues of exertion. |
| Preferred running speed at vigorous intensity | From baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | Following the five minutes running at 12/20 (moderate) intensity, the speed will again be increased until a subjective exertion level of 16/20 (vigorous, and feeling "very hard") is reached. The subject will continue running at this intensity for 5 minutes. The running speed at each phase will be noted by the researcher. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Waking heart rate variability | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | Participants will use a heart rate monitor (Polar chest strap) and the Elite HRV app to measure waking heart rate variability (RMSDD) for 3 minutes each morning for 6 days after the baseline appointment, and for 6 days leading up to the follow-up appointment. |
| Forced Vital Capacity | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) is the total amount of air a person can forcibly exhale from their lungs after taking the deepest breath possible. It is measured using a spirometer. |
| Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second) measures the maximum amount of air you can forcibly exhale in the first second of a breath. It is measured using spirometry. |
| Peak Expiratory Flow rate (PEFR) | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | PEFR (Peak Expiratory Flow Rate) measures the maximum speed of air exhaled from the lungs. It is measured using a spirometer. |
| Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) is a pulmonary function test that measures the maximum volume of air a person can inhale and exhale over 12 seconds, reported in liters per minute (L/min). It is measured using spirometry. |
| Recovery heart rate variability | Baseline to follow-up (4 weeks after baseline) | This is the heart rate variability (measured using a chest strap and the Elite HRV app) obtained during the last 3 minutes of 10 minutes of quiet lying after the running trials. |
Countries
Canada
Contacts
CONTACTGillian Hatfield, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORGillian Hatfield, PhD
University of the Fraser Valley
Outcome results
None listed