BACKGROUND Expiratory rib cage compression (ERCC) has been empirically used by physiotherapists with the rationale of improving expiratory flows and therefore the airway clearance in mechanically ventilated patients. This study evaluates the acute mechanical effects and sputum clearance of an ERCC protocol in ventilated patients with pulmonary infection. METHODS In a randomized crossover stud...

INTRODUCTION During pressure support ventilation (PSV) a part of the breathing pattern is controlled by the patient, and synchronization of respiratory muscle action and the resulting chest wall kinematics is a valid indicator of the patient's adaptation to the ventilator. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of different PSV settings on ventilatory pattern, total and compart...

Background: Dynamic hyperinflation of the lungs impairs exercise performance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, it is unclear which patients are affected by dynamic hyperinflation and how the respiratory muscles respond to the change in lung volume. Methods: Using optoelectronic plethysmography, total and regional chest wall volumes were measured non-invasively in 20 stab...

When the abdomen in quadriplegic subjects is given a passive mechanical support, the expansion of the lower rib cage during inspiration is greater and the inward displacement of the upper rib cage is smaller. These changes have traditionally been attributed to an increase in the appositional force of the diaphragm, but the mechanisms have not been assessed. In this study, the inspiratory interc...

BACKGROUND Breathing pattern description and chest wall kinematics during phonation have not been studied in male and female patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. OBJECTIVES We used optoelectronic plethysmography to provide a quantitative description of breathing pattern and chest wall kinematics. METHODS Volumes of chest wall compartments (rib cage and abdomen) were assessed...

INTRODUCTION Thixotropy is a passive property of the skeletal muscle that depends on the muscle's immediate history of contraction and length change. Inspiratory-muscle thixotropy affects the end-expiratory position of the rib cage in normal subjects. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a reduction in end-expiratory chest-wall volume occurs after thixotropy conditioning of inspiratory muscles in p...

Singing involves distinct respiratory kinematics (i.e. movements of rib cage and abdomen) to quiet breathing because of different demands on the respiratory system. Professional classical singers often advocate for the advantages of an active control of the abdomen on singing performance. This is presumed to prevent shortening of the diaphragm, elevate the rib cage, and thus promote efficient g...

The 12(th) rib syndrome is a disease that causes pain between the upper abdomen and the lower chest. It is assumed that the impinging on the nerves between the ribs causes pain in the lower chest, upper abdomen, and flank. A 74-year-old female patient visited a pain clinic complaining of pain in her back, and left chest wall at a 7 on the 0-10 Numeric Rating scale (NRS). She had a lateral fixat...

Speech motor control emerges in the neurophysiologic context of widely distributed, powerful coordinative mechanisms, including those mediating respiratory function. It is unknown, however, whether developing children are able to exploit the capabilities of neural circuits controlling homeostasis for the production of speech and voice. Speech and rest breathing were investigated in eleven 15-mo...

Recordings of the rib cage and abdominal motions and acoustic output were obtained from five professional opera singers during performance of an aria recorded with two levels of voice projection. The condition of greater projection resulted in a significant increase in the acoustic power in the frequency band 2-4 kHz, relative to the power in the 0-2 kHz band, and a decrease in the mean expirat...