Impact of Sport Specific Type on Pulmonary Function and Anthropometric Measures of Adolescents

Abstract

Involvement in specific sports or physical activities enhances the strength of respiratory muscles and impacts anthropometric characteristics. Current studies have declared that athletes possess greater capability of the respiratory system, and different body characterization in comparison to their age-matched sedentary controls. Aim: our study aimed to examine the differences between lung function and anthropometric characterization among athletic adolescents performing sports which is similar in nature, in accordance with intensity and type of exercise executed. Methods: 97 athletic adolescents aged between 14-18 years enrolled in a sport at the national or international level and engaged in that sport for more than 15 hours per week were included in the study. 20 non- athlete adolescents enrolled as control. All the participants were subjected to full history, thorough medical examination and anthropometric measurements including weight, height, BMI. Pulmonary function tests were performed. Results: As regards the anthropometric measurements, there was a significant difference of weight and height between water polo and both other sports and non-athletes. Moreover, there was a significant difference in BMI between water polo and non-athletes. In pulmonary functions, we detected a significant difference regarding forced vital capacity between both water polo and other sports vs non-athletes. Conclusion: Regular exercises impacted pulmonary capacity and different morphological characterization and it is sport type dependent.