RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) in the assessment of dysfunctional breathing (DB) in athletes
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP PA2248
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA2248
VO 48
IS suppl 60
A1 Irisz Karolina Levai
A1 Carlo Massaroni
A1 James H. Hull
A1 Greg Whyte
A1 Sergio Silvestri
A1 Samantha Winters
A1 John W. Dickinson
YR 2016
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA2248.abstract
AB Introduction: Muscle recruitment and motor pattern are important not only to preserve intra-abdominal pressure but also to optimise biomechanical functions. A deviation away from the optimal trunk lumbo-pelvic recruitment pattern can affect the pressure, the ventilatory volumes, the stability and ultimately the work of breathing.Aims and objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of different postural positions on the respiratory system using optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) and a breath-by-breath (BbB) analyser.Methods: Five healthy male athletes (Mean +/- SD age: 31.2±5.6 yrs.) completed the study protocol. They performed a 10-minute submaximal exercise test in two conditions (with hunched shoulders and with normal shoulder position) while undergoing simultaneous OEP and BbB data collection. Tidal volume (VT), breathing frequency (BF) and minute ventilation (VE) were assessed by the BbB analyser and data was gathered on the chest wall volume (CW) and the compartmental volumes of the rib cage (RC) and the abdomen (AB) by OEP.Results: With the BbB analyser we detected a difference in tidal volume (VT) between the 'normal' and 'hunched' positions (2.94±0.84 l vs. 2.69±0.79 l; p=0.05) in the last stage of the 10-minute cycling test. This difference was detected also by the OEP system when CW contributions in the two conditions were compared (3.45±0.82 vs. 2.97±0.72; p=0.02). The other values remained unchanged.Conclusions: Respiratory parameters may be affected during exercise by the postural positions of the shoulders leading to impaired chest wall movement and decreased tidal volumes. OEP may be a useful tool to assess altered parameters associated with DB.