Body position and immersion associate with lung function differently in healthy and asthmatic endurance athletes
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Aim Lung function is known to change with immersion and body position. However, little is known about these changes in endurance athletes, particularly regarding the influence of allergies and asthma in this population. This study aims to clarify related changes in trained endurance athletes' lung function associated to different body positions and immersion, and allergies and asthma influence on those changes. Methods Athletes underwent spirometry testing at rest in four randomized positions: seated on land, prone on land, seated while immersed, and prone while immersed. The sample was comprised of 45 male athletes: 15 swimmers, 15 triathletes, and 15 runners. Data from the spirometry tests were collected in a pool and pool's deck. Results All the lung function variables varied across the different positions (FVC, FEV 1 , and FEF 25-75% with p<0.001, and PEF with p=0.001), except for FEV 1 /FVC, which remained unchanged (p=0.207). Overall, athletes without self-reported allergies or asthma showed greater positional differences. Conclusions Endurance athlete's FVC, FEV 1 , and FEF 25-75% appear to decrease primarily in response to hydrostatic pressure, while PEF decreases mainly in response to the change in body position. FVC in allergic athletes, and FEV 1 , and FEF 25-75% in asthmatic athletes appear to decrease mainly in response to the change in body position, and PEF decreases mainly in response to hydrostatic pressure. The specific effects in response to allergy and asthma appear to accumulate with the overall effects, leading to differences from the on-land seated condition to the other three positions, but no difference among the later three positions.
Source: Respiratory Medicine
Institutions: University of Coimbra, Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,630
OpenAlex ID: W7140511644