Use of Powerbreathe® in inspiratory muscle training for athletes: systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been used as part of athletic training. It is bene icial due to an increase in respiratory capacity, and can be related to the optimization of exercise tolerance. There are a growing number of publications on the subject, however the methodological rigor of these publications is still unknown. Objective: To perform a systematic literature review in order to analyze the effects of Powerbreathe® on inspiratory muscle training by athletes. Methods: Original scienti ic studies published in English, from 2000 to 2015, were included. Their typology was classi ied. The literature search was performed in the Lilacs, Medline, Pubmed, and Scielo databases using the following keywords: inspiratory muscle training, athletes, and Sports medicine (in English), treinamento muscular inspiratório, atleta, medicina esportiva (in Portuguese). Results: Inspiratory muscle training with speci ic linear resistance has been used in some athletic training, and its results are promising. However, its application is still recent and generally supported by experiments with limited population and which do not properly de ine the confounding factors for the results. Conclusion: The state of the art suggests that IMT is useful as a respiratory therapy supporting the training of athletes for some speci ic sports. However, there is a scarcity of studies of high methodological quality, thus requiring further experiments on the subject.

Influence of Inspiratory Muscle Training of Various Intensities on The Physical Performance of Long‐Distance Runners

“…Inspiratory muscle training program that are regularly repeated and include a controlled and individualised load result in the growth of sarcomeres while also increasing muscle volume and strength, which results from muscle physiology (Nepomuceno et al, 2016). In line with this, IMT training in the current study resulted in improvements in PImax in comparison to the group that trained with the Threshold device, which improved to a lesser extent, and to the control group, with an increase of 10% observed after 8 weeks of training.…”

“…Athletics distance running training encompasses many aspects, all of which have a significant impact on the final outcome (Nepomuceno et al, 2016;Waśkiewicz et al, 2012). The training process itself is critical for optimising exercise performance, so as to achieve the optimum strength and power and prevent musculoskeletal injuries (Pastre et al, 2005).…”

Effects of Individualized Training and Respiratory Muscle Training on Pulmonary Function among Collegiate Swimmers: an Experimental Study

“…Precautions were taken to ensure that the participant's breathing was not restricted or that any discomfort was avoided during the swim. The respiratory muscles were trained with a mediumresistance trainer, Power breathe® device (Gaiam Ltd; Southam, Warwickshire, UK) (Nepomuceno Júnior et al, 2016). Before using the power breathe, all participants were given clear instructions and a practical demonstration.…”

The Influence of HeartMath® on Resilience and Empowerment in Female College Athletes

“…Physically, athletes who experience inappropriate breath patterns, such as hyperventilation, will experience hypocapnia, which can lead to adverse effects such as a loss of focus, decreased coordination, and anxiety (Bacchus, 2010). For athletes, breathing tools such as inspiratory muscle training and concurrent respiratory resistance training have been implemented to improve physical performance by improving respiratory performance, such as by increasing lung capacity (Archiza et al, 2018; Litchke et al, 2012; Nepomuceno et al, 2016). Psychologically, athletes experience anxiety, stress, and increased pressure to perform (J.…”