Inspiratory muscle training in young, race-fit Thoroughbred racehorses during a period of detraining.
Authors: Katz Lisa M, Stallard Jessica, Holtby Amy, Hill Emmeline W, Allen Kate, Sweeney James
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Inspiratory Muscle Training in Thoroughbreds During Detraining Whilst inspiratory muscle training has demonstrated benefits for human athletes, evidence in equine athletes has remained limited. Katz and colleagues investigated whether structured inspiratory muscle training (IMT) could preserve or enhance respiratory muscle strength in young Thoroughbreds during a planned detraining period, recruiting 20 horses (median age ~2 years) divided into control and treatment groups who performed twice-daily IMT for eight weeks using custom resistance-loading masks with incremental breath-loading protocols. Over the study period, untrained controls showed significant declines across multiple respiratory parameters—total breaths achieved fell (P = 0.02), peak load decreased (P = 0.003), and inspiratory muscle strength index (IMSi) declined (P = 0.01)—whereas the trained group demonstrated substantial gains in breaths achieved (P < 0.001), load capacity (P = 0.03), peak volume (P = 0.004), peak flow (P = 0.006), and IMSi (P = 0.002). By study completion, trained horses outperformed controls across five key respiratory metrics, with notably larger differences in absolute breaths achieved and load capacity (both P < 0.0001). For practitioners managing horses through seasonal transitions or rehabilitation programmes, these findings suggest that structured respiratory conditioning can attenuate detraining-induced losses in respiratory capacity, potentially offering a practical tool to maintain aerobic efficiency during enforced rest periods.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Inspiratory muscle training using resistance masks can prevent the decline in respiratory muscle strength that occurs during detraining periods in young racehorses
- •IMT protocol of twice-daily sessions five days weekly for 8 weeks with progressive breath-loading resistance is feasible and effective for maintaining aerobic capacity markers
- •Consider implementing IMT during off-season or layoff periods to maintain respiratory fitness and potentially reduce conditioning time needed to return to racing
Key Findings
- •Control group showed significant decreases in total breaths achieved, load, and inspiratory muscle strength index (IMSi) over 8 weeks of detraining (P≤0.02)
- •Treatment group performing inspiratory muscle training twice daily showed increases in total breaths, load, volume, flow, energy, and IMSi over 8 weeks (P<0.01)
- •At 8 weeks, trained group demonstrated significantly greater total breaths achieved, load, volume, energy, and IMSi compared to controls (P≤0.03)