Effects of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Exercise in Sportswear on Cardiac and Pulmonary Functions, Including Autonomic Nervous System

Abstract

Today, most people prefer to wear sportswear while they are exercising. Wearing sportswear not only helps prevent injuries by applying gentle pressure to the muscles and resting muscle tremors, but also helps blood circulation by increasing the supply of oxygen to the muscles. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the improvement effects on the cardiopulmonary vascular system and autonomic nerve function depending on whether sportswear was worn during moderate-intensity exercise. A total of 39 healthy subjects in their 20s, including 18 females and 21 males, participated in the experiment. 9 females wore sportswear, while the other 9 did not; 10 males wore sportswear, while the other 11 did not. The subjects performed two types of exercise: the Master two-step tests were performed for 9 minutes, as well as 50 jumping jacks, 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Immediately after the exercise, subjects were allowed to rest comfortably for 10 minutes, and then electrocardiogram (ECG), pulmonary function, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) measurements were taken. Among the subjects, the group that did not wear sportswear (control group) had an average age of 22.5±1.05, weight of 64.7±23.87 (kg), height of 167.3±8.04 (cm); while the group wearing sportswear (experimental group) had an average age of 22.0±1.16, weight of 54.7±7.32 (kg), height of 161.4±8.46 (cm). The ECG results were statistically significant in the experimental group wearing sportswear, particularly in OCC and QRSD (p<.001, respectively). The within-subject effects were also statistically significant in OCC (p=0.025) and QRSD (p=0.011), indicating that the difference in the average vectors of measurement variables between both groups depending on whether sportswear was worn was caused by that between these two variables. For pulmonary function tests (PFT), the results of SVC (p=0.004), IRV (p<.001), FVC (p=.001), and MVV (p=.029) were statistically significant in the experimental group 10 min after exercise. In particular, the results of SVC are considered to be attributed to those of IRV, FVC, and MVV. In terms of changes in the autonomic nervous system, in the experimental group wearing sportswear, Beta waves, which are fast waves, showed a statistically decreasing trend, and Alpha waves, which are basic rhythm waves, showed a statistically increasing trend. Therefore, it is found that wearing sportswear during regular exercise had a positive effect on the control of the ANS, as well as cardiopulmonary function and the control of the parasympathetic nervous system.