title: Assessment of percussion, vibratory-shaking and breathing exercises in chest physiotherapy.
abstract: While gravity-assisted positions (postural drainage) and the forced expiratory technique are known to promote sputum clearance, the additional value of percussion, vibratory-shaking and breathing exercises individually in chest physiotherapy is uncertain. These modalities have been evaluated in 8 patients with copious sputum production (mean: 44 g/day), using an inhaled radioaerosol technique. Tracheobronchial clearance was unaffected by the addition of either vibratory-shaking or percussion with and without breathing exercises to postural drainage. There was however a significant (p less than 0.01) increase in the dry weight of sputum produced during each of these treatments. The combination of postural drainage used in conjunction with the forced expiration technique is responsible for the majority of mucus mobilisation and should form the basis of routine chest physiotherapy programmes; the other modes appear to be of lesser value.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lopez-Vidriero
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavia
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Clay
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Webber
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D001945:Breathing Exercises; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000628:therapy; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000628:therapy; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000628:therapy; D004322:Drainage; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008863:Microspheres; D010474:Percussion; D011187:Posture; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013183:Sputum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014732:Vibration / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m