About this trial
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the acute effects of a single session of functional inspiratory muscle training on muscle oxygenation, exercise capacity, dynamic balance, and agility in elite male volleyball players aged 18 to 25 years. Thirty participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention group or a no-intervention control group. The intervention group will perform 60 resisted breaths at 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure using a POWERbreathe device during a sport-specific fixed-ball throwing drill. Both groups will complete assessments before and immediately after the intervention period on the same day. Quadriceps muscle oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin will be measured using a Moxy near-infrared spectroscopy monitor during the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test. Exercise capacity, dynamic balance, and agility will be assessed using the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test, Star Excursion Balance Test, and T-Test, respectively.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
Male, aged 18 to 25 years
Regular participation in volleyball training
University student actively playing on an elite-level volleyball team
Regular training during the previous 3 months
Disqualifiers
Current smoking or regular alcohol use
Regular use of medication or vitamin supplements
History of upper respiratory tract infection or COVID-19 within the previous 3 months
Lower-extremity or shoulder surgery within the previous 6 months
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Functional Inspiratory Muscle Training With POWERbreathe