Inspiratory Muscle Training Symposium A Breathtaking Success!
The level
and breadth of interest inspiratory muscle training (IMT) was confirmed by both
the number and diversity of attendees at this unique symposium, which was hosted by the Centre for Sports Medicine & Human Performance at Brunel University. As well as sport
and exercise physiologists, delegates included clinicians, human factors
specialists, commercial companies, end users of IMT, and even an equine vet. They
were rewarded with a “feast” of integrative physiology, covering the respiratory, cardiovascular,
muscular and neural systems, in both health and disease.
The seminar was opened by Professor Alison McConnell, who provided an introductory overview of the history of IMT,
the "state of the art", as well as the rationale for each of three
putative mechanisms for the well-established ergogenic effect of IMT.
These mechanisms were expanded and developed by the other three speakers. The
Centre’s own Dr Lee Romer described the
surprisingly high metabolic cost of respiratory muscle work in highly trained
individuals, the conditions under which exercise-induced fatigue of the
inspiratory and expiratory muscles arises, and its implications for exercise
tolerance. Dr Romer then reviewed the evidence that feedback from respiratory
muscle afferents can exacerbate locomotor muscle contractile fatigue and impair
performance. Dr Romer was followed by the University of Brighton’s Dr Emma Ross, who provided some
fascinating insights into another role for muscle afferent feedback, viz., its
role in central fatigue. This included consideration of the potential role of
respiratory muscle afferents in central fatigue as part of an “ensemble” of
feedback that serves to maintain and optimise exercise performance. The final
presentation came from King’s College Hospital physician Dr Caroline Jolley who explained the role of respiratory muscle
function in the perception of breathing effort, focussing in particular upon
patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A
neurophysiological model of breathlessness was presented in which disordered
lung mechanics and diaphragm weakness, lead to an uncoupling of inspiratory
pressure generation and ventilation to create a state of “neuromechanical
dissociation” and efferent-afferent mismatch. Finally, Dr Jolley considered whether
IMT might ameliorate this mismatch. The morning was rounded off by a panel
“question and answer” session.
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| The presenters answer questions and consider the future directions for inspiratory muscle training research. From the left: Dr Lee Romer, Prof Alison McConnell, Dr Emma Ross, Dr Caroline Jolley |
The four presentations are available to view on the Centre for Sports Medicine & Human Performance YouTube channel.
For further information about inspiratory muscle training
for sport please visit www.breathetsrong.com,
and for information about the many clinical applications of respiratory muscle
training please visit www.physiobreathe.com.
