Ventilatory muscle training in the elderly

1988.-To test the hypothesis that declining ventilatory func-tion in the elderly impairs exercise capacity, we tested maximal exercise capacity and ventilatory function before and after a program of ventilatory muscle training in 25 elderly subjects (ages 65-75 yr). Ventilatory muscle training was performed by means of isocapnic hyperpnea for 30 min/day, 4 days/wk for 8 wk. Before and after the training, we measured maximal exer-cise capacity by means of an incremental exercise test (IET) and ventilatory muscle endurance by means of the maximum sustained ventilatory capacity (MSVC) e Ratings of perceived exercise (RPE) for breathlessness and leg effort were evaluated each minute by means of a modified Borg scale during both the IET and a 12-min single-stage exercise test (SST) performed at-70 % of the maximal exercise capacity. The trained group showed a significant increase in the MSVC, from 71.9 & 26.