Effects of visual feedback of thoracoabdominal motion on oxygen consumption during hyperventilation - Pilot study.

INTRODUCTION

Respiratory muscle oxygen consumption increases with the work of breathing. We hypothesized that reducing excessive respiratory muscle activity during exercise may improve exercise tolerance.

METHOD

We developed a device to provide real-time visual feedback of thoracoabdominal movement and used it to examine the influence of visual feedback of thoracoabdominal movement during diaphragmatic breathing on oxygen consumption in eight healthy men. While sitting on a wheelchair with the backrest reclined at 60°, oxygen consumption per body weight (VO/BW), minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT), and breathing frequency (fR) were measured, breath-by-breath, using an expired-gas analyzer. The breathing pattern was analyzed by inductance plethysmography, with transducer bands over the chest and abdomen recording thoracoabdominal movements.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in RatioTH-ABD and the ventilatory parameters between diaphragmatic breathing and diaphragmatic breathing with visual feedback. The average VO/BW during diaphragmatic breathing with visual feedback was 0.6 ml/kg lower than that during diaphragmatic breathing without visual feedback (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

When visual feedback was used during diaphragmatic breathing, the RatioTH-ABD remained essentially unchanged, but VO/BW decreased significantly. This suggests that visual feedback of thoracoabdominal movement during diaphragmatic breathing may reduce respiratory muscle oxygen consumption.