Respiratory effects of combined truncal and abdominal support in patients with spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a custom girdle, designed to provide truncal stability and abdominal support, will improve pulmonary function, enhance inspiratory muscle activity, and reduce the sensation of respiratory effort in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Pulmonary function, transdiaphragmatic pressure time product (PTP di ), twitch (Tw Pdi) and maximal transdiaphragmatic pressures (Pdi), and perception of respiratory effort (Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion score) were measured with and without an abdominal girdle in a seated position.


METHODS
Rehabilitation hospital.


METHODS
Ten patients with posttrauma SCI (injury level, C5-T6).


METHODS
Application of the abdominal girdle.


METHODS
Borg score and measures of lung volumes, dynamic abdominal compliance, and Tw Pdi and maximal Pdi.


RESULTS
Wearing of the girdle was associated with a lower Borg score (P = .002) and reduced functional residual capacity (P = .006) but increased inspiratory capacity (P = .02) and forced vital capacity (P = .02). Although there was a decrease in dynamic abdominal compliance (P < .001) and an increase in PTP di (P = .02), this was accompanied by an increase in both Tw Pdi (P = .02) and maximal Pdi (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS The custom girdle reduced the sensation of respiratory effort in patients with SCI by optimizing the operating lung volumes and decreasing abdominal compliance, which enhanced diaphragm performance.
Service de Physiologie-Explorations Fonctionnelles, Rééducation Fonctionnelle et Centre d'Innovation technologique Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Garches, France.
Nicholas
N
Hart
Isabelle
I
Laffont
Annie Perez
AP
de la Sota
Michèle
M
Lejaille
Gilles
G
Macadou
Michael I
MI
Polkey
Pierre
P
Denys
Frédéric
F
Lofaso
D000005:Abdomen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*