title: Characteristics of respiratory pattern and anxiety in rhythmic gymnasts.
abstract: The objective of this study was to explore characteristics of breathing pattern and anxiety levels of athletes involved in women's rhythmic gymnastics. We tested 13 college level female rhythmic gymnasts (GG) from the same team, and compared their results with those of 26 non-athlete medical students (RG). Subjects were tested by a CO(2) rebreathing method using a gas mixture of 5% CO(2) and 95% O(2). The trait and state anxiety levels of the subjects were tested using the Spielberger's trait and state anxiety inventory (STAI). GG was significantly higher in both trait and state anxiety levels and, in comparison with RG, they also exhibited significantly less variance in the % contribution of change in frequency to the overall increase in minute ventilation during CO(2) rebreathing when compared to RG. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between both trait and state anxiety and % contribution of frequency change in the RG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Akai
authors.forename: Sakuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishizaki
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Homma
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005260:Female; D006173:Gymnastics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D012119:Respiration; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide