3. Breathing Exercise
Breathing exercises are only part of a
treatment program designed to improve
pulmonary status & to improve a patient’s
overall endurance and function in ADLs.
Depending on patient’s clinical problem,
breathing exercises are often combined
with medications, postural drainage, and
graded exercise program.
4. Indications
Acute or chronic lung diseases e.g. COPD, etc.
Pain in thoracic or abdominal area because of
surgery or trauma.
Deficits in CNS that lead to muscle weakness
Severe orthopedic abnormalities e.g. Scoliosis
Stress management and relaxation procedure
5. Goals
Improve ventilation
Increase the effectiveness of cough
mechanism
Prevents pulmonary complications
Maintain or improve chest & thoracic spine
mobility
Improve the strength, endurance & co-
ordination of respiratory muscles.
Promote relaxation
Improve patient overall functional capacity
6. Principles
• Area of exercises
• Explanation & Instruction to the patient
• Patients position
• Evaluate the patient
• Demonstration of exercise
• Patient practice
7. Precautions
• Never allow a patient to forced expiration.
• Don’t allow a patient to take a very prolonged
expiration.
• Don’t allow a patient initiate inspiration with the
accessory muscles.
• Avoid hyperventilation.
8. Types of Breathing Exercise
Three types are commonly used:
• Diaphragmatic breathing exercise
• Segmental breathing exercise
• Pursed lip breathing exercise
10. Segmental breathing exercise
• It is important to emphasize expansion of the
localized area of the lung while keeping other
area quiet.
• Four types of segmental breathing exercise are:
Lateral costal expansion
Posterior basal expansion
Right middle or lingula expansion
Apical expansion
