Managing Dysfunctional Breathing and Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction in Adolescent Athletes

A Multidimensional Strategy to Managing Dysfunctional Breathing and Exercise-induced Laryngeal Obstruction in Adolescent Athletes

This study aimed to assess if a multidimensional individually tailored intervention, including Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy (NPMP), elements of cognitive behavioural therapy and a rehabilitation plan, helped reduce inspiratory distress and dysfunctional breathing in adolescent athletes with EILO. A mixed methods design, which combined qualitative and quantitative research, was used. Data, including subjective experiences of respiratory distress, findings from NPMP body examinations and objective measurements of lung function and aerobic capacity were gathered before and after a five month intervention involving 18 participants.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 18
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Oslo, Norway, 0370
    • Liv-Jorunn Kolnes

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adolescent athletes with symptoms of EILO
• Referred to Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other respiratory symptoms
• Additional diagnosis

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Other: Participants with EILO were recruited and given treatment (i.e. one arm?); Only participants with EILO were recruited and given treatment as usual.

Other: Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy; The intervention consisted predominantly of Norwegian Psychomotor Physiotherapy (NPMP) in which participants received individually tailored treatment based on the body examination and reported respiratory distress. NPMP addresses bodily tension, postural de-alignments and dysfunctional breathing patterns. The consultations also included a cognitive dimension, that is a conversation, in which thoughts and behaviours about training and competing were addressed and where participants were provided with "self help" measures that could improve breathing during training and competing. A rehabilitation plan for each participant was designed to limit further impairments and maintaining aerobic capacity without intensifying EILO symptoms. The intervention lasted 5 months.; Other Names: Elements of cognitive behavioural therapy; Rehabilitation plan

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Subjective experiences of respiratory distress associated with exercise reported descriptively in an interview pre and post treatment	Experiences of respiratory distress were explored through a history taking and in an qualitative interview based on a questionnaire developed by O. Roksund (2012) Larynx in exercising humans - the unexplored bottleneck of the airways. University of Bergen Norway (PhD thesis). The questionnaire is not developed for research purposes, and reliability and validity studies are lacking. It is however, functional as a basis for the pre and post interview in which respiratory distress was explored and is commonly used for the same purpose at Haukeland University hospital in Norway. The reporting was descriptive and qualitative, and no scale or scores were used.	Five months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: VID Specialized University
• Collaborators: Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Liv-Jorunn Kolnes, PhD, VID Specialized University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 10, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): January 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 27, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 9, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 13, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 13, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 9, 2023
• Last Verified: September 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Dysfunctional breathing; Diaphragmatic breathing; Adolescent athletes; EILO; Physiotherapy intervention; Postural alignment
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Aspiration
• Other Study ID Numbers: REC 2016/1723

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: The descriptive datasets concerning the body examinations generated during the study will not be publicly available du to individual privacy concerns, but will be available from the lead investigator on reasonable request.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: All statistical material will be published in the article depicting the study. This will be submitted during august/september 2023.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No