[Effects of breathing exercises on breathing pattern and thoracoabdominal motion after gastroplasty].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate breathing pattern and thoracoabdominal motion during breathing exercises.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with class II or III obesity (18 women; 6 men) were studied on the second postoperative day after gastroplasty. The mean age was 37 +/- 11 years, and the mean BMI was 44 +/- 3 kg/m(2). Diaphragmatic breathing, incentive spirometry with a flow-oriented device and incentive spirometry with a volume-oriented device were performed in random order. Respiratory inductive plethysmography was used in order to measure respiratory variables and thoracoabdominal motion.


RESULTS
Comparisons among the three exercises showed significant differences: tidal volume was higher during incentive spirometry (with the flow-oriented device or with the volume-oriented device) than during diaphragmatic breathing; the respiratory rate was lower during incentive spirometry with the volume-oriented device than during incentive spirometry with the flow-oriented device; and minute ventilation was higher during incentive spirometry (with the flow-oriented device or with the volume-oriented device) than during diaphragmatic breathing. Rib cage motion did not vary during breathing exercises, although there was an increase in thoracoabdominal asynchrony, especially during incentive spirometry with the flow-oriented device.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the breathing exercises evaluated, incentive spirometry with the volume-oriented device provided the best results, because it allowed slower, deeper inhalation.
Tomich
Georgia Miranda
GM
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
França
Danielle Corrêa
DC
Diniz
Marco Túlio Costa
MT
Britto
Raquel Rodrigues
RR
Sampaio
Rosana Ferreira
RF
Parreira
Verônica Franco
VF
D000005:Abdomen / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D005260:Female; D015391:Gastroplasty; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D011184:Postoperative Period; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013147:Spirometry / Q000379:methods; D013909:Thorax / Q000503:physiopathology*