Pulmonary function values of children of the age group of 8-12 years doing regular basketball practices

The aim of this study is to compare pulmonary (respiratory) functions of children ofthe age group of 8-12 ages, doing regular basketball practices with the children of the sameage group doing no sports activities.In this study, pulmonary (respiratory) tests were made on 30 male children playingbasketball and 30 male sedentary children, considering height, weight and age.While the average age of the children playing basketball is 10,77 ± 0,20 year, heightaverage is 149,43±1,48 cm, body weight is 39,20 ± 1,35 kg, the age average of childrendoing no sports activites is 10,10 ± 0,21 years, height average is 136,27 ±1,02 cm, bodyweight is 36,30 ± 0,52 kg. Pulmonary function test results of the children playing basketballwere calculated as FVC: 2,48±0,49, FEV1:2,37±0,41, FEV%:36,53±4,41, PEF:4,55±0,99,FEF50:3,28±0,71, FEF75:1,98±0,43, FEF25-75:3,21±0,64, FEF25:4,23±0,86, VC:2,45±0,54,MVV: 87,26±26,26 and pulmonary function test results of sedantary children were calculatedas FVC:1,71±0,24, FEV1:1,68±0,23, FEV%:98,41±1,96, PEF: 3,50±0,85, FEF50: 2,54±0,61,FEF75: 1,57±0,43, FEF25-75: 2,51±0,60, FEF25: 3,21±0,89, VC: 1,70±0,20, MVV:66,40±13,19.In this study Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume (FEV1) andVital Capacity (VC), Maksimum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV)are recorded to be higher thanthe sedentary children according to P<0,05 significant degree.The records were assessed according to P>0,05 statistical significance levels in t test.The results indicate that basketball has a considerable effect on enhancing respiratoryfunctions of an individual, and the reason is that after basketball practices respiratory musclesdevelop and strenghten.Key words : Basketball, respiratory function tests, children