Abdominal Air Pressure Resistance Versus Abdominal Weight Training Versus Breathing Exercise for Improving Diaphragmatic Strength, Endurance, and Physiological Responses in Young Healthy Adults: A Study Protocol for RCT

Abdominal Air Pressure Resistance Versus Abdominal Weight Training Versus Breathing Exercise for Improving Diaphragmatic Strength, Endurance, and Physiological Responses in Young Healthy Adults: A Study Protocol for Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to compare the effects of abdominal air pressure resistance training, abdominal weight training, and breathing exercises on diaphragmatic strength, endurance, and physiological responses in young healthy adults.

Forty-two healthy adults aged 18-35 years will be randomly allocated to one of three groups: abdominal air pressure resistance training, abdominal weight training, or breathing exercises. Participants will complete supervised training sessions three times per week for eight weeks, with standardized breathing cadence, training volume, and therapist contact time across groups.

This trial will provide the first direct comparison of a programmable pneumatic abdominal loading method with traditional abdominal weight loading and standard breathing exercises in healthy young adults. The findings will help determine the relative effectiveness, tolerability, and safety of these interventions for enhancing diaphragmatic function. The results may contribute to the development of evidence-based respiratory muscle training strategies for rehabilitation, health promotion, and performance enhancement.

Inclusion Criteria:

• males and females with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m²
• non-smokers
• have not participated in structured respiratory muscle training within the previous six months
• able to understand the study procedures
• provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• have a known cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular, or significant metabolic disease
• experience a respiratory infection or respiratory symptoms within the preceding 2-3 weeks
• pregnant
• have undergone major abdominal or thoracic surgery within the previous six months
• have uncontrolled hypertension, significant gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or any other condition that could make abdominal loading unsafe, as determined during the screening process.