Authors
Jun-seok Park, Department of Physical Therapy, Baekseok University, Republic of Korea
Ji-hyun Lee, Department of Physical Therapy, Baekseok University, Republic of Korea
International Journal of Exercise Science 19(3): 3006, 2026.
Abstract
Cardiopulmonary recovery after peak exercise is a critical component of exercise performance and overall health management. This study investigated whether combining chest wall vibration with a trunk forward-leaning posture could enhance recovery efficiency in healthy adults. Twenty-three participants performed a graded treadmill exercise using the Bruce protocol and were randomly assigned to either a vibration group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 12). During the 5-minute recovery period, all participants assumed a seated forward-leaning position, while the vibration group additionally received low-frequency chest wall vibration at the intercostal space between the second and third ribs. Heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), FEV₁/ FVC ratio, and subjective dyspnea (using a modified cross-modality matching method) were measured at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and at 1, 3, and 5 minutes of recovery (R1, R3, R5). Both groups demonstrated significant changes over time in HR, SpO₂, and subjective dyspnea, whereas pulmonary function measures (FVC, FEV₁, and FEV₁/FVC) remained unchanged. HR peaked immediately post-exercise (Control: 184.25 ± 8.24 bpm; Experimental: 186.72 ± 9.14 bpm) and decreased progressively during recovery, reaching 124.91 ± 13.54 bpm in the control group and 116.00 ± 13.84 bpm in the experimental group at 5 minutes. The experimental group showed significantly lower HR at 1 and 3 minutes post-exercise compared with the control group (p = .008 and p = .003, respectively), while no between-group differences were observed at Rest, immediately post-exercise, or at 5 minutes (all p > .05). SpO₂ decreased immediately after exercise (Control: 87.75 ± 6.22%; Experimental: 91.00 ± 5.54%) and returned toward resting levels by 1 minute of recovery. No significant between-group differences were observed at any time point (all p > .05). Subjective dyspnea scores peaked immediately after exercise (Control: 38.25 ± 3.64 cm; Experimental: 39.27 ± 3.13 cm) and declined progressively through recovery (Control: 16.50 ± 3.72 cm; Experimental: 4.09 ± 2.77 cm at 5 minutes). Dyspnea scores were significantly lower in the experimental group at 1, 3, and 5 minutes into recovery (all p < .001). These results suggest that the addition of chest wall vibration to a forward-leaning posture may facilitate early autonomic recovery and alleviate post-exercise breathlessness, offering a practical non-invasive intervention for post-exertional recovery.