Immediate effect of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics and diaphragmatic breathing on respiratory pattern. Respiratory Muscle Conditioning Group.

We investigated the immediate effect of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics (RMSG) and diaphragmatic breathing (DB) on the respiratory pattern in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Sixteen patients with COPD (age, 71.3 +/- 3.9 year) were entered in the study. DB was performed for 10 minutes in supine position. For RMSG, 5 patterns were repeated 10 times each. Respiratory variables were measured in sitting position before and after both RMSG and DB, performed in random order, patient to patient, with a 20-minute washout period in-between. After RMSG, but not after DB, there was a significant overall prolongation in expiratory time. After DB, but not after RMSG, there was an overall decrease in minute ventilation, carbon dioxide output, respiratory gas exchange ratio, end tidal O2 fraction, end tidal CO2 fraction and tidal diaphragmatic volume. The results suggest that RMSG may have a beneficial effect on the respiratory pattern. On the other hand, DB may provoke post-hyperventilation hypoxemia.