COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF RESISTANCE AND AEROBIC TRAINING ON BODY COMPOSITION, FITNESS, AND PULMONARY FUNCTION IN WOMEN WITH ASTHMA

Asthma is a common respiratory disorder that reduces the quality of life in
patients. Furthermore, due to importance of preventing and treating diseases through non-
pharmacological interventions, the purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of aerobic and
resistance training on physical fitness, body composition, and pulmonary function in women with
asthma.
Materials & Methods: A total of 29 asthmatic women in Urmia participated in the study voluntarily
with Convenience Sampling. They were randomly assigned into control group (n= 9, age= 29± 4.03
years, BMI= 23.52±2.34 kg/m2), aerobic exercise group (n= 10, age= 27.25 ± 3.10 years, BMI= 23.47
± 3.16 kg/m2) and resistance exercise group (n= 10, age= 26.11 ± 4.83 years, BMI= 25.12 ± 2.90 kg/m2).
Experimental groups exercised during 3 sessions for 8 weeks. Exercise sessions consisted of 10 minutes
for warm-up, 30-40 minutes for aerobic or resistance exercises and 5-10 minutes for cool-down. Body
composition and pulmonary functions were measured by caliper and spirometer and clinical signs were
evaluated using Santanello’s questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using independent t-test,
dependent t-test, and one-way ANOVA by setting pretest as an intervening factor through SPSS-23
(p<0.05).
Result: The results of intragroup evaluation indicated that in aerobic exercise group increased aerobic
power (p = 0.02), anaerobic power (p = 0.01), flexibility (p = 0.03), muscular endurance (p = 0.02) and
decreased clinical signs were significant (p = 0.01). In resistance exercise group, increased flexibility
(p = 0.00), muscular endurance (p = 0.00), and body fat percentage (p = 0.02) were significant. There
was a significant increase in FVC, FEV1 / FVC and FEF75% (p <0.05) and also a significant decrease
was observed in clinical signs (p = 0.05). The results of intergroup evaluation indicated that changes in
flexibility, muscular endurance, and FEV1/FVC, FEF75% were significant between the exercise groups
and the control group (p <0.05).
Conclusion: It is concluded that both types of aerobic and resistance exercises can lead to both increased
physical fitness and decreased clinical signs in women with asthma. However, the positive changes in
body composition were the result of resistance exercise. Therefore, the participation of women with
asthma in physical activity, especially resistance training, can improve their pulmonary function, body
composition, and physical fitness