Breathing Exercises.pdf

• Also called as ventilatory training.
• An aspect of management to improve pulmonary status
and to increase a patient’s overall endurance and function
during daily living activities.
• They are fundamental interventions for the prevention or
comprehensive management of impairments related to
acute or chronic pulmonary disorders.
• Simply, Breathing exercises are designed to retrain the
muscles of respiration, improve ventilation, lessen the
work of breathing, and improve gaseous exchange and
patient’s overall function in daily living activities.
• Depending on a patient’s underlying pathology and
impairments, exercises to improve ventilation often are
combined with medication, airway clearance, the use of
respiratory therapy devices, and a graded exercise (aerobic
conditioning) program.

Goals of Breathing Exercises and
Ventilatory Muscle Training
1. • Improve or redistribute ventilation.
2. • Increase the effectiveness of the cough mechanism and promote
airway clearance.
3. • Prevent postoperative pulmonary complications.
4. • Improve the strength, endurance, and coordination of the muscles
of ventilation.
5. • Maintain or improve chest and thoracic spine mobility.
6. • Correct inefficient or abnormal breathing patterns and decrease
the work of breathing.
7. • Promote relaxation and relieve stress.
8. • Teach the patient how to deal with episodes of dyspnea.
9. • Improve a patient’s overall functional capacity for daily living,
occupational, and recreational activities.
10. Aid in bronchial hygiene---Prevent accumulation of pulmonary
secretions, mobilization of these secretions, and improve the cough
mechanism.

Indications of breathing exercises
1. Cystic fibrosis
2. Bronchiectasis
3. Atelectasis
4. Lung abscess
5. Neuromuscular diseases
6. Pneumonias in dependent lung regions.
7. Acute or chronic lung disease
8. COPD
9. For patients with a high spinal cord lesion/ Deficits in CNS: spinal cord injury,
myopathies etc.
10. Prophylactic care of preoperative patient with history of pulmonary
problems
11. After surgeries (thoracic or abdominal surgery)
12. Airway obstruction due to retained secretions.
13. For patients who must remain in bed for an extended period of time.
14. As relaxation procedure.

Guidelines for Teaching Breathing
Exercises
• If possible, choose a quiet area for instruction in which you
can interact with the patient with minimal distractions.
• Explain to the patient the aims and rationale of breathing
exercises or ventilatory training specific to his or her
particular impairments and functional limitations.
• Have the patient assume a comfortable, relaxed position and
loosen restrictive clothing. Initially, a semi-Fowler’s position
with the head and trunk elevated approximately 45, is
desirable. By supporting the head and trunk, flexing the hips
and knees, and supporting the legs with a pillow, the
abdominal muscles remain relaxed.
• Other positions, such as supine, sitting, or standing, may be
used initially or as the patient progresses during treatment.

• Observe and assess the patient’s spontaneous breathing
pattern while at rest and later with activity.
• Determine whether ventilatory training is indicated.
• Establish a baseline for assessing changes, progress, and
• outcomes of intervention.
• If necessary, teach the patient relaxation techniques. This
relaxes the muscles of the upper thorax, neck, and
shoulders to minimize the use of the accessory muscles of
ventilation.
• Pay particular attention to relaxation of the
sternocleidomastoids, upper trapezius, and levator
scapulae muscles.
• Depending on the patient’s underlying pathology and
impairments, determine whether to emphasize the
inspiratory or expiratory phase of ventilation.
• Demonstrate the desired breathing pattern to the patient.
• Have the patient practice the correct breathing pattern in a
variety of positions at rest and with activity.

PRECAUTIONS:
• When teaching breathing exercises, be aware of the following
precautions:
1. Never allow a patient to force expiration. Expiration should be
relaxed or lightly controlled. Forced expiration only increases
turbulence in the airways, leading to bronchospasm and increased
airway restriction.
2. Do not allow a patient to take a highly prolonged expiration. This
causes the patient to gasp with the next inspiration. The patient’s
breathing pattern then becomes irregular and inefficient.
3. Do not allow the patient to initiate inspiration with the accessory
muscles and the upper chest. Advise the patient that the upper chest
should be relatively quiet during breathing.
4. Allow the patient to perform deep breathing for only three or four
inspirations and expirations at a time to avoid hyperventilation.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:
• Increased ICP
• Unstable head or neck injury
• Active hemorrhage with hemodynamic instability or
hemoptysis
• Recent spinal injury
• Empyma
• Bronchoplueral fistula
• Flail chest
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Anticoagulation
• Rib or vertebral fractures or osteoporosis
• Acute asthma or tuberculosis
• Patients who have recently experienced a heart attack.
• Patients with skin grafts or spinal fusions will have undue
stress placed on areas of repair.

• Bony metastases, brittle bones, bronchial hemorrhage,
and emphysema are contraindications for undue stress
to the thoracic area.
• Verify that patient has not eaten for at least one hour.
• Severe Obesity
• Recent (within one hour) meal or tube feed
• Untreated pneumothorax
• Chest tubes.

TYPES OF BREATHING EXERCISES:
1. Diaphragmatic breathing
2. Pursed lip breathing
3. Segmental breathing(costal expansion exercise)
a)Apical breathing
b)lateral costal expansion
c)Posterior basal expansion
4. Sustained maximal inspiration (deep breathing)

DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
The semireclining (as shown) and semi-
Fowler’s positions are
comfortable, relaxed positions in which to
teach diaphragmatic breathing.
•When the diaphragm is functioning
effectively in its role as the primary muscle
of inspiration, ventilation is efficient and the
oxygen consumption of the muscles of
ventilation is low during relaxed (tidal)
breathing.
• When a patient relies substantially on the
accessory muscles of inspiration, the
mechanical work of breathing (oxygen
consumption) increases and the efficiency
of ventilation decreases.
•Although the diaphragm controls breathing
at an involuntary level, a patient with
primary or secondary pulmonary
dysfunction can be taught how to control
breathing by optimal use of the diaphragm
and decreased use of accessory muscles.

• GOALS OF DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING:
• To improve the efficiency of ventilation and oxygenation
• Decrease the work of breathing
• Increase the excursion (descent or ascent) of the
diaphragm
• Improve gas exchange and oxygenation.
• Diaphragmatic breathing exercises also are used during
postural drainage to mobilize lung secretions.
• Reduces work of breathing
• Reduces the incidence of post operative pulmonary
complications
• Improve ventilation
• Eliminates accessory muscle activity
• Decrease respiratory rate
• Increase tidal ventilation
• Improve distribution of ventilation

• PROCEDURE/ TECHNIQUE:
1. Prepare the patient in a relaxed and comfortable position in
which gravity assists the diaphragm, such as a semi- Fowler’s
position.
2. The patient initiates the breathing pattern with the accessory
muscles of inspiration (shoulder and neck musclulature), start
instruction by teaching the patient how to relax those muscles
(shoulder rolls or shoulder shrugs coupled with relaxation).
3. Diaphragmatic breathing enhance diaphragmatic descent
during inspiration and diaphragmatic ascent during expiration
4. Physiotherapist assist diaphragmatic ascent by directing the
patient to allow the abdomen to retract gradually during
exhalation or by contracting abdominal muscles actively
5. Diaphragmatic descent is assisted by directing the patient to
protract the abdomen gradually during inhalation.

6. Place your hand(s) on the rectus abdominis just below anterior
costal margin. Ask the patient to breathe in slowly and deeply
through the nose.
7. Have the patient keep the shoulders relaxed and upper chest quiet,
allowing the abdomen to rise slightly. Then tell the patient to relax
and exhale slowly through the mouth.
8. Have the patient practice this three or four times and then rest. Do
not allow the patient to hyperventilate.
9. If the patient is having difficulty using the diaphragm during
inspiration, have the patient inhale several times in succession
through the nose by using a sniffing action This action usually
facilitates the diaphragm.
10. To learn how to self-monitor this sequence, have the patient place
his or her own hand below the anterior costal margin and feel the
movement. The patient’s hand should rise slightly during
inspiration and fall during expiration.
11. After the patient understands and is able to control breathing using
a diaphragmatic pattern, keeping the shoulders relaxed, practice
diaphragmatic breathing in a variety of positions (sitting, standing)
and during activity (walking, climbing stairs).

• RE EDUCATION OF
DIAPHRAGM:
• As other skeletal muscles,
diaphragm also shares
the property of skeletal
muscle
• Place the index and
middle finger below the
lower costal margin
anteriorly in half lying
position over the
insertion of diaphragm
(central tendon)
• At the end of expiration
when diaphragm is
relaxed, stretch stimulus
is given to the diaphragm
to elicit Stretch reflex of
the diaphragm and
patient is instructed to
take breath in.

Resisted diaphragmatic breathing
Manual resistance by therapist over the abdomen
Placing appropriate weight over abdomen in
By slightly elevating the foot end of the bed
*procedure- same as breathing ex
*CONTRAINDICATIONS- SAME AS BREATHING

PURSED LIP BREATHING
• Pursed-lip breathing is a strategy that involves lightly pursing
the lips together during controlled exhalation.
• USES OF PURSED LIP BREATHING/ INDICATIONS:
• This breathing pattern often is adopted spontaneously by
patients with COPD to deal with episodes of dyspnea.
• Improves ventilation
• Releases trapped air in the lungs
• Keeps the airways open longer and decreases the work of
breathing
• Prolongs exhalation to slow the breathing rate
• Improves breathing patterns by moving old air out of the lungs
and allowing for new air to enter the lungs
• Relieves shortness of breath
• Causes general relaxation

• It can be applied:
- as a 3-5 minutes “rescue exercise” or an Emergency Procedure to
counteract acute exacerbations or dyspnea (shortage of air or
breathlessness) in COPD and asthma.
• Pursed-lip breathing reduces hyperventilation-induced broncho-
constriction.
• PRINCIPLE: Many therapists believe that gentle pursed-lip
breathing and controlled expiration is a useful procedure,
particularly to relieve dyspnea if it is performed appropriately. It
is thought to keep airways open by creating back-pressure in the
airways.
• Studies suggest that pursed-lip breathing decreases the
respiratory rate and the work of breathing (oxygen consumption),
increases the tidal volume, and improves exercise tolerance.

• PRECAUTIONS :
• The use of forceful expiration during pursed-lip breathing must
be avoided. Forceful expiration while the lips are pursed can
increase the turbulence in the airways and cause further
restriction of the small bronchioles.
• Therefore, if a therapist elects to teach this breathing strategy,
it is important to emphasize with the patient that expiration
should be performed in a controlled manner but not forced.
• PROCEDURE/TECHNIQUE:
• Have the patient assume a comfortable position and relax as
much as possible.
• Have the patient breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose
and then breathe out gently through lightly pursed lips as if
blowing on and bending the flame of a candle but not blowing it
out.
• Explain to the patient that expiration must be relaxed and that
contraction of the abdominals must be avoided.
• Place your hand over the patient’s abdominal muscles to detect
any contraction of the abdominals.

SEGMENTAL BREATHING
•Performed on a segment of lung, or a section of
chest wall that needs increased ventilation or
movement.
•It’s questionable whether a patient can be taught
to expand localized areas of the lung while
keeping other areas quiet.
•Hypoventilation does occur in certain areas of the
lungs because of pain and muscle guarding after
surgery, atelectasis and pneumonia.
•Therefore, it will be important to emphasize
expansion of problems areas of the lungs and
chest wall under certain conditions.
•USES/ INDICATIONS:
• post thoracotomy,
•trauma to chest wall,
•pneumonia,
•post mastectomy scar,
•post chest radiation-fibrosis.

• ADVANTAGES OF SEGMENTAL BREATHING:
• Prevent accumulation of pleural fluid
• Prevent accumulation of secretions
• Decreases paradoxical breathing
• Decrease panic
• Improve chest mobility
Lateral costal expansion
• This is sometimes called lateral basal expansion and may be done unilaterally or
bilaterally.
• The patient may be sitting or in a hook lying position.
• Place your hands along the lateral aspect of the lower ribs to fix the patient’s attention to
the areas which movement is to occur.
• Ask the patient to breathe out, and feel the rib cage move downward and inward.
• As the patient breathes out, place firm downward pressure into the ribs with the palms
of your hands.
• Just prior to inspiration, apply a quick downward and inward stretch to the chest. This
places a quick stretch on the external intercostals to facilitate their contraction. These
muscles move the ribs outward and upward during inspiration.
• Apply light manual resistance to the lower ribs to increase sensory awareness as the
patient breathes in deeply and the chest expands and ribs flare. Then, as the patient
breathes out, assist by gently squeezing the rib cage in a downward and inward
direction.

• Tell the patient to expand the lower ribs against your hand as he or she
breathes in.
• Apply gentle manual resistance to the lower rib area to increase sensory
awareness as the patient breathes in and the chest expands and ribs flare.
• Then, again, as the patient breathes out, assist by gently squeezing the rib cage
in a down ward and inward direction.
• The patient may then be taught to perform the maneuver independently. He or
She may place the hand (s) over the ribs or apply resistance using a belt.
Posterior basal expansion
• Deep breathing emphasizing posterior basal expansion is important for the
postsurgical patient who is confined to bed in a semireclining position for an
extended period of time because secretions often accumulate in the posterior
segments of the lower lobes.
• Have the patient sit and lean forward on a pillow, slightly bending the hips.
• Place your hands over the posterior aspect of the lower ribs.
• Follow the same procedure as described above.
• This form of segmental breathing is important for the post surgical patient who
is confined to bed in a semi upright position for an extended period of time.
Secretions often accumulate in the posterior segments of the lower lobes.

Belt exercises reinforce lateral costal
breathing (A) by applying resistance during
inspiration
and (B) by assisting with pressure along the
rib cage during
expiration.

Right middle lobe or lingula expansion
• Patient is sitting.
• Place your hands at either the right or the left side of the patient’s chest,
just below the axilla.
• Follow the same procedure as described for lateral basal expansion.
Apical expansion
• Patient in sitting position.
• Apply pressure (usually unilaterally) below the clavicle with the
fingertips.
• This pattern is appropriate in an apical pneumothorax after a
lobectomy.

GLOSSOPHARYNGEAL BREATHING
• Glossopharynegal breathing is a means of increasing a patient’s inspiratory
capacity when there is severe weakness of the muscles of inspiration.
• The first report of GPB was published by Dail in 1951 in patients with
poliomyelitis paralysis.
• It is a technique that is performed by using the muscles of mouth, cheeks, lips,
tongue, soft palate, larynx and pharynx to piston boluses of air into the lungs.
• The tongue is the main organ of this breathing technique.
• The tongue is pushed upwards and backwards forcing the air into the pharynx.
• The larynx opens and the air passes into the trachea where it is trapped by
closure of larynx.
• This pistoning action is mechanism of each gulp.
• A gulp is defined as boluses of air projected into the trachea by pistoning action
of the tongue.
• INDICATIONS:
• It is taught to patients who have difficulty taking in a deep breath, for example,
in preparation for coughing.
• It is used primarily by patients who are ventilator-dependent because of absent
or incomplete innervation of the diaphragm as the result of a high cervical-level
spinal cord lesion or other neuromuscular disorders.

• Glossopharyngeal breathing can reduce ventilator dependence
• Also can be used as an emergency procedure when a malfunction of a patient’s
ventilator occur.
• It also can be used to improve the force (and therefore the effectiveness) of a
cough
• It is used to increase the volume of the voice.
• Procedure
• Glossopharyngeal breathing involves taking several “gulps” of air, usually 6 to
10 gulps in series, to pull air into the lungs when action of the inspiratory
muscles is inadequate.
• After the patient takes several gulps of air, the mouth is closed.
• The tongue pushes the air back and traps it in the pharynx.
• The air is then forced into the lungs when the glottis is opened.
• This increases the depth of the inspiration and the patient’s inspiratory and
vital capacities

COUGHING
• An effective cough is necessary to eliminate respiratory obstructions
and keep the lungs clear.
• Airway clearance is an important part of management of patients with
acute or chronic respiratory conditions.
• The Normal Cough Pump
• A cough may be reflexive or voluntary.
• When a person coughs, a series of actions occurs as follows:
• Deep inspiration occurs-------Glottis closes------vocal cords tighten------
Abdominal muscles contract-------diaphragm elevates-------causing an
increase in intrathoracic and intra-abdominal pressures-------Glottis
opens-----Explosive expiration of air occurs.
• Under normal conditions, the cough pump is effective to the seventh
generation of bronchi. (There are a total of 23 generations of bronchi in
the tracheobronchial tree.)
• Ciliated epithelial cells are present up to the terminal bronchiole and
raise secretions from the smaller to the larger airways in the absence of
pathology.

• Factors that Decrease the Effectiveness
• of the Cough Mechanism and Cough Pump
• The effectiveness of the cough mechanism can be compromised for a
number of reasons including the following:
1. Decreased inspiratory capacity
2. Inability to forcibly expel air
3. Decreased action of the cilia in the bronchial tree.
4. Increase in the amount or thickness of mucus.
1. Decreased inspiratory capacity:
• Inspiratory capacity can be reduced because of:
 Pain due to acute lung disease
 Rib fracture
 Trauma to the chest
 Recent thoracic or abdominal surgery
 Weakness of the diaphragm or accessory muscles of inspiration as a
result of a high spinal cord injury or neuropathic or myopathic disease
 Postoperatively, the respiratory center may be depressed as the result of
general anesthesia, pain, or medication.

2. Inability to forcibly expel air:
• The following factors contribute to a weak cough:
 A spinal cord injury above T12 and myopathic disease, such as muscular
dystrophy, cause weakness of the abdominal muscles, which are vital for a
strong cough.
 Excessive fatigue as the result of critical illness
 A chest wall or abdominal incision causing pain
 A patient who has had a tracheostomy, even when the tracheostomy site is
covered.
3. Decreased action of the cilia in the bronchial tree:
• Action of the ciliated cells may be compromised because of:
 Physical interventions such as general anesthesia and intubation
 Pathologies such as COPD including chronic bronchitis
 Smoking also depresses the action of the cilia.
4. Increase in the amount or thickness of mucus:
• Occurs in:
 Pathologies (e.g., cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis) and pulmonary infections
(e.g., pneumonia)
 Intubation irriates the lumen of the airways and causes increased mucus
production
 Dehydration thickens mucus.

• Teaching an Effective Cough
• Because an effective cough is an integral component of airway clearance, a patient must
be taught the importance of an effective cough, how to produce an efficient and
controlled voluntary cough, and when to cough.
• The following sequence and procedures are used when teaching an effective
• cough.
1. Assess the patient’s voluntary or reflexive cough.
2. Have the patient assume a relaxed, comfortable position for deep breathing and
coughing.
3. Sitting or leaning forward usually is the best position for coughing.
4. The patient’s neck should be slightly flexed to make coughing more comfortable.
5. Teach the patient controlled diaphragmatic breathing, emphasizing deep inspirations.
6. Demonstrate a sharp, deep, double cough.
7. Demonstrate the proper muscle action of coughing (contraction of the abdominals).
Have the patient place the hands on the abdomen and make three huffs with expiration
to feel the contraction of the abdominals. Have the patient practice making a “K” sound
to experience tightening the vocal cords, closing the glottis, and contracting the
abdominals.
8. When the patient has put these actions together, instruct the patient to take a deep but
relaxed inspiration, followed by a sharp double cough.
9. The second cough during a single expiration is usually more productive.
10. Use an abdominal binder or glossopharyngeal breathing in selected patients with
inspiratory or abdominal muscle weakness to enhance the cough, if necessary.

• Precautions for Teaching an Effective Cough
• Never allow a patient to gasp in air, because this increases the work (energy
expenditure) of breathing, causing the patient to fatigue more easily. It also
increases turbulence and resistance in the airways, possibly leading to
increased bronchospasm and further constriction of airways.
• A gasping action also may push mucus or a foreign object deep into air
passages.
• Avoid uncontrolled coughing spasms (paroxysmal coughing).
• Avoid forceful coughing if a patient has a history of a cerebrovascular accident
or an aneurysm. Have these patients huff several times to clear the airways,
rather than cough.
• Be sure that the patient coughs while in a somewhat erect or side-lying posture.
• Additional Techniques to Facilitate a Cough and Improve Airway
Clearance
• To maximize airway clearance, several techniques can be used to stimulate a
stronger cough, make coughing more comfortable or improve the clearance of
secretions.
• Manual-Assisted Cough
• If a patient has abdominal weakness (e.g., as the result of a mid-thoracic or
cervical spinal cord injury), manual pressure on the abdominal area assists in

• Therapist-Assisted Techniques
• With the patient in a supine or semireclining position, the therapist
places the heel of one hand on the patient’s abdomen at the epigastric
area just distal to the xiphoid process.
• The other hand is placed on top of the first, keeping the fingers open or
interlocking them
• After the patient inhales as deeply as possible,the therapist manually
assists the patient as he or she attempts to cough. The abdomen is
compressed with an inward and upward force, which pushes the
diaphragm upward to cause a more forceful and effective cough.
• This same maneuver can be performed with the patient in a chair
• The therapist or family member can stand in back of the patient and
apply manual pressure during expiration.
• P R E C A U T I O N : Avoid direct pressure on the xiphoid process during
the maneuver.
• Self-Assisted Technique
• While in a sitting position, the patient crosses the arms across the
abdomen or places the interlocked hands below the xiphoid process
• After a deep inspiration, the patient pushes inward and upward on the
abdomen with the wrists or forearms and simultaneously leans forward
while attempting to cough.

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