Effects of abdominal and thoracic breathing upon multiple-site electromyography and peripheral skin temperature.
Peripheral finger temperature, frontalis and upper trapezius EMG, and self-report of arousal were assessed for four subjects during abdominal and thoracic breathing in a single-subject reversal design. Two subjects displayed significant differences between abdominal and thoracic breathing conditions; one for frontalis EMG, trapezius EMG, and self-report of arousal and one for trapezius EMG. Two subjects showed no significant effects. All subjects reached performance criteria during training sessions. Abdominal breathing performance during reversals was 100% and 92% of sampled breath cycles for the two subjects who showed significant change, and 65% and 42% for the two subjects who showed none. Methodological issues for measurement of breathing patterns and peripheral skin temperature are discussed.
Mercy Catholic Medical Center, Darby, PA 19023, USA.
B A
BA
Boyer
R
R
Poppen
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011603:Psychophysiology; D012016:Reference Values; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D014939:Work of Breathing / Q000502:physiology*