Effect of Segmental Breathing Exercises on Chest Expansion in Empyema Patients

Objective

To prove that segmental breathing exercises help in increasing the chest expansion in empyema patients having decreased lung expansion.

Methods

40 empyema patients of both genders were taken in this study. Chest expansion at axillary level, 4th costal cartilage and 10th costal cartilage levels were measured before and after performing segmental breathing exercises.

Results

An increase in mean chest expansion at all the three levels was observed before and after exercise. It was highly significant at all the three levels (p < 0.001). The increase in chest expansions after segmental breathing exercises was found to be more in middle level than the apical and lower level.

Conclusion

We conclude from this study that segmental breathing exercises play an important role in early re-expansion of lungs and hence should be an integral part in early rehabilitation of restrictive lung diseases as empyema.