title: Effects of muscle relaxation therapy using specially designed plates in patients with pulmonary emphysema.
abstract: It has been suggested that respiratory muscle dysfunction plays a major role in the development of acute ventilatory failure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, we devised a respiratory muscle relaxation maneuver using wedge-shaped wooden plates, with which pressure was exerted on the intercostal and accessory respiratory muscles by hand, or by tapping with a wooden hammer, for 15-20 minutes twice a day. The muscle relaxation maneuver was performed in 5 moderate to severe pulmonary emphysema patients for 4 weeks and in 7 emphysema patients for 6 weeks, and the effects on pulmonary function were examined. After the therapy, inspiratory capacity (IC) and vital capacity (VC) in both the 4 weeks-and 6 weeks-treated groups, and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1.0) in the 6 weeks-treated group were significantly increased, and CO2 retention had also improved. Daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) showed significant increases from 2 weeks after the initiation of the therapy. These results suggest that the respiratory muscle relaxation maneuver is effective for improving the pulmonary function of pulmonary emphysema patients.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyahara
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuzawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018763:Muscle Fatigue; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*