Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Brian Rider, Kinesiology

Document Type

Poster

Event Date

4-12-2024

Abstract

Box Breathing is a breathing technique in which a person inhales, holds, exhales, and holds, in four-second increments. It is believed to help improve an individual's focus. Purpose: This study was conducted to determine if Box Breathing would improve reaction time in lacrosse players after an exhaustive bout of exercise, compared to active recovery and passive recovery. Methods: Participants were familiarized with the components of the study, and then they returned on three separate days, approximately 2-10 days apart for three additional testing visits. Participants performed a 10-minute exhaustive bout of exercise on a cycle ergometer, then performed one of three recovery methods—passive recovery, active recovery, and Box Breathing—on separate days. Following the recovery bout, participants performed the ruler drop test to measure their reaction time. Nine participants (male n=6, female n=3) completed the study. Results: There were no significant differences in reaction time across conditions, passive recovery (359.6 ± 118.9 mm), active recovery (351.1 ± 111.0 mm), and Box Breathing (364.9 ± 92.8 mm). However, there were differences in the percentages of times the participants failed to catch the ruler (counted as "drops"). Specifically, Box Breathing resulted in the highest (28.9%) number of drops whereas active recovery resulted in the fewest (10%). Conclusions: Box Breathing does not appear to improve reaction time following an exhaustive bout of exercise when compared to traditional recovery techniques.

Download

Included in

Kinesiology Commons

Share

COinS