title: Effects of abdominal binding on cardiorespiratory function in cervical spinal cord injury.
abstract: We asked whether abdominal binding improves cardiorespiratory function in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). 13 participants with chronic SCI (C(5)-C(7)) and 8 able-bodied controls were exposed to varying degrees of elastic abdominal compression (unbound [UB], loose-bound [LB], and tight-bound [TB]) while seated. In SCI, TB increased vital capacity (14%), expiratory flow throughout vital capacity (15%), inspiratory capacity (21%), and maximal expiratory mouth pressure (25%). In contrast, TB reduced residual volume (-34%) and functional residual capacity (-23%). TB increased tidal and twitch transdiaphragmatic pressures (∼45%), primarily by increasing the gastric pressure contributions. TB increased cardiac output (28%), systolic mitral annular velocity (22%), and late-diastolic mitral annular velocity (50%). Selected measures of cardiorespiratory function improved with LB, but the changes were less compared to TB. In able-bodied, changes were inconsistent and always less than in SCI. In conclusion, abdominal-binding improved cardiorespiratory function in low-cervical SCI by optimising operating lung volumes, increasing expiratory flow, enhancing diaphragmatic pressure production, and improving left-ventricular function.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sports Medicine and Human Performance, Brunel University, UB8 3PH, UK. west@icord.org
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Ian G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Shave
authors.forename: Lee M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Romer
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D001458:Bandages; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000502:physiology; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013270:Stomach / Q000502:physiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology