Abstract
Respiratory function plays an important role in both daily performance and long-term health. Measures such as forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) are not only accurate indicators of lung function but are also used as biomarkers linked to morbidity and mortality across a wide range of populations. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare respiratory function in college-aged athletes, wind musicians, and singers to evaluate whether their differing respiratory demands result in measurable differences in lung function, which may help guide training and exercise recommendations for these populations. METHODS: Female participants between the ages of 18 and 25 were recruited. Participants recruited were placed in one of three groups (vocalist (V), athlete (A), or wind instrument (W)) depending upon inclusion / exclusion criteria. Following the signing of informed consent and screening of the inclusion / exclusion criteria, participants were measured for height (cm), weight (kg), and years of experience in their field of interest. Participants then completed a familiarization trial with the peak flowmeter (Nascool, China), in which they were instructed to maximally inhale then forcefully exhale as much air as possible, as quickly as they could, from a standing position. Following the familiarization trial, participants completed 3 maximal effort exhalations with one minute of rest between each. Researchers recorded peak expiratory flow (PEF; L/min) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1; L), with the highest value of each being analyzed. In order to determine differences between groups, a one-way ANOVA was performed for each dependent variable. A Bonferroni correction was performed following significant findings to determine differences between the groups, and significance was set a priori at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Sixteen (V = 5, A = 6, and W = 5) female participants aged 18-25 completed all data collection procedures. No significant differences (p = 0.34) were observed between the 3 groups (V = 298.60 ± 81.97, A = 359.83 ± 38.39, W = 372.00 ± 116.67) with regard to PEF. For FEV1, the W (2.94 ± 0.81) group reported higher measures as compared to the V (2.66 ± 0.42) and A (1.90 ± 0.68) groups that approach significance (p = 0.054). CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the statistical analysis there does not appear to be a significant benefit with regard to PEF and FEV1 between the measured forms of training. Researchers hypothesize that an increased number of participants may help identify potential differences that may exist. Identifying these differences may prove beneficial for individuals in need of improving respiratory values through gaining an understanding of the optimal mode of improving FEV1 and PEF.
Recommended Citation
Baldwin, Jeannette and Crossland, Brett W. Dr
(2026)
"Differences in Respiratory Function Between Female College-Aged Athletes, Vocalists, and Wind Musicians,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 251.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/251