Effects of Alternating Altitude Training Versus Fixed-Altitude Training on Exercise Capacity and Physiological Adaptations in Elite Race Walkers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

July 16, 2026 updated by: Chaoran Han, Macao Polytechnic University

Effects of Alternating Altitude Training Versus Fixed-Altitude Training on Physical Performance and Physiological Adaptations in Elite Race Walkers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of alternating altitude training and fixed-altitude training on physical performance and physiological adaptations in elite race walkers living at altitude. Elite race walkers from Yunnan Province will be randomly assigned to either an alternating altitude training group or a fixed-altitude training group. The alternating altitude training group will perform selected training sessions under simulated higher-altitude conditions while completing the remaining sessions at their regular altitude training base. The fixed-altitude training group will complete all training sessions at the regular altitude. Physical performance, race walking performance, cardiovascular function, pulmonary function, and hematological parameters will be assessed before and after the intervention to evaluate the effectiveness of the two altitude training strategies.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
16

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
      • Macao, China
        • Recruiting
        • Macao Polytechnic University, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao, China
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male and female elite race walkers aged 16-26 years. Registered athletes from the Yunnan Provincial Race Walking Team. Long-term residents of high-altitude regions with regular altitude training experience.

Healthy and medically cleared to participate in high-intensity training and hypoxic exposure.

Able to complete the prescribed training program and all outcome assessments. Provided written informed consent before enrollment. For participants younger than 18 years, written informed consent will also be obtained from a parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, neurological, or other medical condition contraindicating exercise or hypoxic exposure.

Musculoskeletal injury or illness affecting normal training or performance within the previous three months.

Current use of medications or supplements that may substantially influence physiological adaptation or exercise performance.

Failure to complete the intervention or outcome assessments according to the study protocol.

Withdrawal of informed consent at any time during the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Alternating Altitude Training
Participants perform the prescribed training program using an alternating altitude strategy, with selected training sessions conducted under simulated higher-altitude conditions and the remaining sessions completed at the regular altitude training base.
Behavioral: Alternating Altitude Training
Participants complete the prescribed training program using an alternating altitude strategy, combining regular altitude training with selected sessions performed under simulated higher-altitude conditions.
Active Comparator: Fixed-Altitude Training
Participants perform the same prescribed training program entirely at the regular altitude training base throughout the intervention.
Behavioral: Fixed-Altitude Training
Participants complete the prescribed training program exclusively at the regular altitude training base.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Body Weight
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Body weight measured before and after the training period.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Body Fat Percentage
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Body fat percentage measured using bioelectrical impedance or other validated method.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Forced vital capacity measured using spirometry before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Maximal Voluntary Ventilation
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
MVV measured using standard pulmonary function testing protocol pre- and post-intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Left Ventricular Volume
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Echocardiography measurement of left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volume.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Ejection Fraction
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Echocardiography assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction pre- and post-training.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Myocardial Thickness
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Measurement of interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall thickness by echocardiography.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Maximal Oxygen Uptake
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Pre- and post-intervention measurement of VO₂max using standard exercise testing protocol to assess aerobic capacity
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Countermovement Jump Height
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Countermovement jump (CMJ) height measured using a validated force platform or jump assessment system to evaluate lower-limb explosive power before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Squat Jump Height
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Squat jump (SJ) height measured using a validated force platform or jump assessment system to assess concentric lower-limb explosive strength before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Peak Force
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Peak force during the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) measured using a force platform to assess maximal isometric lower-limb strength before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Rate of Force Development
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Rate of force development (RFD) during the isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) measured using a force platform before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Reactive Strength Index (RSI)
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Reactive Strength Index (RSI) calculated from repeated ankle hops using a force platform or validated jump assessment system to assess lower-limb reactive strength before and after the intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Red Blood Cell Count
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
RBC count measured from venous blood samples pre- and post-intervention.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Hemoglobin
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Hemoglobin concentration measured from venous blood samples.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Hematocrit
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Hemoglobin concentration measured from venous blood samples.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Erythropoietin
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.
Plasma EPO concentration measured from venous blood samples.
Baseline and immediately after completion of the 4-week intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Macao Polytechnic University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 5, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 5, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 14, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 16, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 21, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • AAT-RW-2026-01

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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