Download or read book The Effects of Respiratory Muscle Training on Respiratory Muscle Strength, Endurance and the Performance of the Anti-G Straining Manoeuvre [microform] written by Pearl Yang and published by Library and Archives Canada = Bibliothèque et Archives Canada. This book was released on 2005 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Anti-G Straining Manoeuvre (AGSM) is a countermeasure employed by fighter pilots in order to combat the decline in head-level blood pressure instigated by high +Gz-loading during tactical flight. The AGSM is a 4-second cycle of forced inhalation, isometric contraction of the arms, legs and trunk muscles together with a Valsalva Manoeuvre, followed by forced exhalation. The repeated tensing between forced breaths acts to increase intrathoracic pressure and venous return, augmenting head-level blood pressure. A pilot's ability to maintain an effective AGSM decreases over prolonged +Gz-exposure due to breathlessness and fatigue that is proposed to originate in the respiratory musculature. Thus, the present study implemented respiratory muscle training (RMT), a modality shown to increase respiratory muscle strength and endurance, as a possible intervention to help decrease AGSM-induced fatigue. Participants (n = 14: 26.9 +/- 5.3 yrs) trained with a commercially available respiratory muscle trainer (PowerlungRTM) for 6-weeks, 4-times per week, 20 minutes per session. Every two-weeks, respiratory muscle (RM) strength and endurance were measured through Pulmonary Function Tests while performance was evaluated through measures of peak respiratory pressure, peak blood pressure and tidal volumes achieved during a loaded, AGSM breathing test. Training significantly improved RM strength measured in maximal expiratory and inspiratory pressures (+10.1%, p