Abstract
To determine whether respiratory muscle strength is related to pulmonary volume differences in athletes and nonathletes, 11 intercollegiate female swimmers, 11 female cross-country runners, and two nonathletic control groups, matched to the athletes in height and age, were evaluated for pulmonary parameters including maximal inspiratory pressure (Plmax) and maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax). Swimmers exhibited larger (p < .05) vital capacities (VC), residual lung volumes (RV), inspiratory capacities (IC), and functional residual capacities (FRC) than both the runners or the controls but no difference (p > .05) in either Plmax or inspiratory flow (FIV25%-75%). Timed expiratory volumes (FEV Q.5 m and FEV1.0 were significantly (p < .05) lower in the swimmers than in the controls. These data suggest that an adaptational growth may be responsible, in part, for the augmented static lung volumes demonstrated in swimmers