Wearable Resistance Vest for Strengthening Respiratory Muscles (WEARVEST)

Effects of a Novel Wearable Resistance Vest for Strengthening Respiratory Muscles: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Healthy Adult Males

Respiratory muscle weakness significantly limits functional capacity in various populations, yet conventional respiratory muscle training (RMT) often requires coached, mouthpiece-based maneuvers that may be limited by technique and adherence. This proof-of-concept study evaluated the physiological efficacy of a novel, low-cost wearable resistance vest designed to provide continuous circumferential thoracic loading during spontaneous breathing to improve respiratory muscle strength in healthy adult males.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy Adult Male
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Wearable Resistance Vest

Detailed Description

Respiratory muscle weakness contributes to impaired ventilation and reduced functional capacity across a wide range of respiratory, neuromuscular, and critical care conditions. Conventional respiratory muscle training (RMT) typically relies on mouthpiece-based threshold or resistive devices that require repeated volitional breathing maneuvers, appropriate technique, and sustained patient adherence. These requirements may limit their applicability in some patient populations.

This study evaluated a custom-designed wearable resistance vest developed to provide continuous circumferential thoraco-abdominal loading during spontaneous breathing. Unlike conventional RMT devices that apply resistance only during specific inspiratory or expiratory maneuvers, the wearable vest delivers a sustained external mechanical load throughout normal daily breathing. The intervention was designed to increase the work of breathing during routine activities while allowing participants to breathe naturally without performing prescribed respiratory exercises.

The study was conducted as a prospective, single-group, repeated-measures proof-of-concept investigation to determine the physiological effects of this wearable device in healthy adult males. Participants wore the individually calibrated vest during normal daily activities over a three-week intervention period with progressively increasing daily wear times. Respiratory muscle strength was assessed at baseline and weekly throughout the intervention using standardized measurements of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP).

The primary objective was to determine whether progressive circumferential thoracic loading could improve respiratory muscle strength. A secondary objective was to evaluate the physiological feasibility and tolerability of this wearable approach as a potential alternative to conventional device-based respiratory muscle training.

As a proof-of-concept study conducted in healthy volunteers, the findings are intended to establish preliminary physiological evidence and to inform the design of future controlled clinical studies evaluating this wearable technology in patient populations with respiratory muscle weakness or impaired ventilatory function.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 21
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Mecca Region
    • Jeddah, Mecca Region, Saudi Arabia, 23717
      • King Abdulaziz University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy adult males Age 18 years and older Non-smokers Free from known cardiovascular diseases Free from known respiratory diseases Free from known neuromuscular diseases Able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

Current smokers or history of smoking within the last 6 months Known history of chronic pulmonary disease (e.g., asthma, COPD) Known cardiovascular or neuromuscular disorders Musculoskeletal conditions preventing the comfortable use of the vest Inability to complete the three-week training protocol

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

Experimental: One group, single arm study; Participants wore the vest

Device: Wearable Resistance Vest; A custom-designed wearable resistance vest developed to provide continuous circumferential thoraco-abdominal loading during spontaneous breathing. The vest consists of a stretchable outer garment with a front zipper and internally mounted latex-free elastic resistance bands (TheraBand®, medium resistance) providing approximately 1.7 kg of circumferential resistance. Each vest was individually calibrated to approximately 95% of the participant's thoracic circumference at functional residual capacity using adjustable lateral straps and a posterior Velcro panel to standardize the applied load. Participants wore the vest during routine daily activities (excluding sleep and vigorous exercise) for progressively increasing durations of 60 minutes/day during Week 1, 90 minutes/day during Week 2, and 120 minutes/day during Week 3.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Maximum Inspiratory Pressure and Maximum Expiratory Pressure	Measured at baseline and at the end of each training week using a calibrated digital pressure manometer, (MicroRPM device;Micro Medical Ltd,Kent,UK), according to ATS/ERS standards. The highest of three technically satisfactory maneuvers with <5% variability was recorded.	Three Weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: King Abdulaziz University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Husam I Alahmadi, PhD, King Abdulaziz University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 2, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 5, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): May 5, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 9, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 9, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Respiratory muscle training; Maximal inspiratory pressure; Maximal expiratory pressure; Wearable resistance vest; Thoracic loading
• Other Study ID Numbers: HA-02J-008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

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