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Effectiveness of interval vs. endurance training to minimize asthmatic symptoms in recreationally active adults
Thesis   Open access

Effectiveness of interval vs. endurance training to minimize asthmatic symptoms in recreationally active adults

Margaret Merlie
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6350
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Abstract

Nutrition
The prevalence of asthma is on the rise, affecting the quality of life of those who suffer from this condition. There are several treatments for asthma, exercise being one of the most affordable, while also offering other physiologic benefits. High intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of short bouts of maximal intensity exercise, followed by short periods of recovery. Endurance training consists of continuous, steady-state aerobic exercise, usually around 70% to 80% of maximal heart rate for 30 to 60 minutes in duration. Improvements in asthmatic symptoms have been seen utilizing both training protocols; however, most of the participants in these studies have been children. The purpose of this study was to determine if exercise will improve asthmatic symptoms of recreationally active adults, and to determine if there is a difference in interval and endurance training protocols in terms of asthmatic symptoms. It was hypothesized that exercise will improve asthmatic symptoms; however, due to lack of recruitment, the second aim of this study was not addressed. One recreationally active adult, 26 years of age, with no other chronic diseases, was recruited through the use of flyers. The participant was informed of the risks and benefits before partaking in any training protocol. Due to the fact that only one participant was recruited and time constraints to conduct a crossover design study (as was originally intended), the participant was randomly assigned to a six-week endurance protocol. Biometric and pulmonary measurements were taken before and after the protocol. It may appear that there was a slight decrease in pulmonary functions following the six-week endurance protocol; however, the measurements are likely within normal variation. Because this was a case study, no statistical analyses could be performed to determine statistical significance.

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