Effect of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Quarry Workers (AE RE VF)

Aerobic Versus Resistance Exercise Training on Ventilatory Function in Quarry Workers

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to compare the effects of aerobic exercise training and resistance exercise training on ventilatory function in quarry workers. It will also evaluate their effects on functional capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does aerobic exercise training improve ventilatory function more effectively than resistance exercise training? How do aerobic and resistance exercise training affect functional capacity and health-related quality of life in quarry workers?

Researchers will compare aerobic exercise training and resistance exercise training with a control group receiving routine treatment and breathing exercises to determine which intervention is more effective in improving ventilatory function, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life.

Participants will:

Be randomly assigned to one of three groups: an aerobic exercise training group, a resistance exercise training group, or a control group.

Receive the assigned intervention three times per week for eight consecutive weeks.

Undergo ventilatory function assessment using spirometry. Complete assessments of functional capacity and health-related quality of life before and after the intervention.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Respiratory Disorders; Ventilatory Defect; Occupational Lung Diseases
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Aerobic exercise training; Procedure: Resistance exercise training

Detailed Description

Quarry workers are routinely exposed to respirable dust, which increases the risk of impaired ventilatory function and reduced physical performance. Long-term occupational dust exposure has been associated with respiratory symptoms, decreased pulmonary function, and poorer health-related quality of life. Exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation is widely recommended to improve respiratory function and physical capacity; however, limited evidence is available regarding the comparative effectiveness of aerobic versus resistance exercise training in quarry workers. This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effects of aerobic exercise training and resistance exercise training on ventilatory function in quarry workers. Secondary outcomes include functional capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Seventy-five clinically stable male quarry workers aged 30-40 years will be randomly allocated into three equal groups: an aerobic exercise training group, a resistance exercise training group, and a control group.

Participants in the aerobic and resistance exercise groups will receive their assigned exercise program in addition to routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training. The control group will receive routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training only. All interventions will be performed three times per week for eight consecutive weeks.

Ventilatory function will be assessed using spirometry, including Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), and Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV). Functional capacity will be evaluated using the Harvard Step Test, while health-related quality of life will be assessed using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Outcome measures will be collected at baseline and after completion of the intervention period.

The findings of this study are expected to identify the most effective exercise modality for improving ventilatory function, functional capacity, and health-related quality of life among quarry workers, thereby providing evidence to optimize pulmonary rehabilitation programs for this occupational population.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 75
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Taher M Kamal Eldin, B.Sc. in physical therapy; Phone Number: +201004047580; Email: taherkamal364@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Minya Governorate
    • Minya, Minya Governorate, Egypt
      • Recruiting
      • faculty of physical therapy, Deraya University
      • Contact: Taher M Kamal Eldin, BSc in Physical Therapy; Phone Number: +201004047580; Email: taherkamal364@gmail.com

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male quarry workers.
• The age range is between 30 and 40 years.
• BMI values from 25 to 29.9 kg/m².
• They work 5 to 6 times per weeks with mean exposure range (5-10 years) (Kumar et al., 2014). Exhibited chest manifestations (Respiratory symptoms) like cough, dyspnea, wheeze, and ventilatory impairment with significant reduction in (FEV1/FVC<70% and/or FVC<80% and reduce Peak Expiratory flow 25- 75% (PEF25-75%)(Abdelwahaab et al., 2025).
• Clinically stable (no exacerbation in past 4-6 weeks).
• Low levels of physical activity (using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Version) (The Arabic version of the questionnaire will be used).

Exclusion criteria:

• Patients with acute respiratory infections or recent exacerbation(4-6 weeks).
• Asthmatic patient.
• Chest cancer.
• Musculoskeletal diseases and other disorders that could potentially impact the study's findings are excluded from the trial.
• Other major lung diseases (e.g., TB, ILD, bronchiectasis, cancer).
• Unstable cardiovascular disease.
• Uncontrolled hypertension.
• Severe musculoskeletal or neurological limitation to exercise.
• Cognitive impairment.
• Participation in PR in past 6 months.
• Heavy smokers.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: aerobic exercise group; participants will receive aerobic exercise training in addition to routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training	Procedure: Aerobic exercise training; participants will receive aerobic exercise training in addition to routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training.
Experimental: resistance exercise group; participants will receive resistance exercise training in addition to routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training.	Procedure: Resistance exercise training; participants will receive resistance exercise training in addition to routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training.
No Intervention: control group; participants will receive only routine medical treatment and breathing exercise training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV1)	Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV1) will be assessed using spirometry. FEV1 is the volume of air forcefully exhaled during the first second of a forced expiratory maneuver and is expressed in liters (L). Higher values indicate better airway function and ventilatory performance.	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention).
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)	Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) will be assessed using spirometry. FVC is the maximum volume of air that can be forcefully exhaled after a full inspiration and is expressed in liters (L). Higher values indicate better ventilatory function.	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention).
Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second to Forced Vital Capacity Ratio (FEV1/FVC)	The FEV1/FVC ratio will be assessed using spirometry and expressed as a percentage (%). This parameter reflects the proportion of the forced vital capacity exhaled during the first second of expiration and is commonly used to evaluate airflow limitation. Higher values generally indicate better ventilatory function.	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention).
Forced Expiratory Flow at 25-75% of Forced Vital Capacity (FEF25-75%)	Forced Expiratory Flow at 25-75% of Forced Vital Capacity (FEF25-75%) will be assessed using spirometry. FEF25-75% represents the average expiratory flow during the middle half of the forced vital capacity maneuver and is expressed in liters per second (L/s). It is considered a sensitive indicator of small airway function. Higher values indicate better small airway function and ventilatory performance.	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention)
Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV)	Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV) will be assessed using spirometry. MVV is the maximum volume of air inhaled and exhaled voluntarily within one minute and is expressed in liters per minute (L/min). Higher values indicate better respiratory muscle endurance and ventilatory capacity.	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention).
Health-Related Quality of Life	Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The SGRQ consists of 50 items grouped into three domains: Symptoms, Activity, and Impacts. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating poorer health-related quality of life. Lower scores represent better outcomes	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional Capacity	Functional capacity will be assessed using the Harvard Step Test. The Brouha Index (BI) will be calculated based on exercise duration and recovery heart rate. Higher scores indicate better functional capacity	Baseline (pre-intervention) and at the end of the 8-week intervention period (post-intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Elsayed E Felaya, Assoiate Professor, Cairo University; Study Director: Shimaa T Taha, Lecturer, Cairo University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 9, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): October 24, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 25, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): August 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 5, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 3, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Patient Care; Exercise Therapy; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Resistance Training
• Other Study ID Numbers: CU-TMK-19052026

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data will not be shared to maintain participant privacy and strictly adhere to confidentiality agreements.

Drug and device information, study documents

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