Abstract
Among the main aims of this pilot study is to overview the infl uence of breathing exercises on people with disabilities with spinal cord injury (SCI). While creating the complex of breathing exercises we were coming from the foundations of respiratory gymnastics, yoga and training of respiratory muscles.
The intervention program has been conducted during five months with frequency of fi ve times per week. The research group consisted of 15 patients with SCI from whom 9 were paraplegics and 6 were quadriplegics.
Within this study were measured circumferential chest sizes at rest, during exhale and inhale; were determined respiratory parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume during first second (FEV1'0); and questionnaire was conducted. The results have revealed that SCI patients had impaired FVC; FEV1'0 / FVC ratio of SCI was normal.
For quadriplegics, the FVC fell from 30 to 50% of normal values; the FVCs of paraplegics were around 80% of the predicted values. Respiratory frequency for all handicapped with SCI was above average.
Measuring the chests circumference showed small diff erence between indexes (maximum inhale and exhale) which indicates chest excursion. This study verifi es that respiratory damage does occur in SCI, the results show a typical pattern which positively infl uences pulmonary disease.
The magnitude of damage is aff ected by the level of cord damage and by the body position of patients. The article also includes a summary of available information regarding breathing exercises in relation to SCI, adherence, posture and breathing.