pulmonary adaptation response of chemical veterans following 24 sessions of selected aerobic exercises

Aims: lung complications are a common issue among chemical warfare veterans, highlighting the need to strengthen their respiratory systems. this study aimed to explore the impact of a 24-session aerobic exercise program on the lung volumes and capacities of chemical warfare veterans.materials & methods: this quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2023 using a pre-test and post-test design. seventeen chemical warfare veterans with a disability rating of 25-35% were selected through purposive and convenience sampling methods and randomly divided into two groups: experimental (10 participants) and control (7 participants). the experimental group underwent an interval aerobic exercise regimen at 45-60% of heart rate reserve, three times per week for eight weeks. lung functions were assessed using the lung test 1000 spirometry device. repeated measures statistics analyzed the differences between pre-test and post-test results. findings: aerobic exercise significantly increased vital capacity (p=0.007), peak inspiratory flow (p<0.001), peak expiratory flow (p=0.016), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (p=0.017), maximum voluntary ventilation (p<0.001), and peak expiratory flow rates at 75% (p<0.001), 50% (p=0.001), and 25% (p=0.007). however, it did not significantly affect the ratio of forced vital capacity to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (p=0.960) or forced expiratory flow from 25 to 75% (p=0.690).conclusion: aerobic exercises in chemical veterans improve lung volumes and capacities.