Effect of water immersion in pulmonary functions in patients with chronic pulmonary disease; Internationaler Kongreß für Physikalische Medizin Balneologie und Bioklimatologie und 94. Kongreß der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Physikalische Medizin und Rehabilitation Freiburg im Breisgau 12.-14. Oktober 1989

Journal/Book: Z. Phys. Med. Baln. Med. KIim. 18 (1989)304. 1989;

Abstract: Balneotherapeutic Research Institute Hokkaido University School of Medicine Noboribetsu City Change of respiratory functions were investigated as follows in order to evaluate usefulness of water immersion (IM) and immersing exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthmatics. (1) Lung volume and pulmonary transfer factor by bathing. (2) Water immersing exercise and respiratory resistance (Rrs). (3) Thoraco-abdominal breathing Pattern by water immersion. (1) Resting lung volume decreased 30 % in healthy controls and 10 % in COPD by long sitting bathing. Normalized single breath pulmonary CO diffusion showed significant increase in controls with comparable % change among COPD during IM. (2) Immersing moderate exercise in asthmatics produced significant decrease of Rrs (15 %) after emmersion. Rrs rose during immersion in COPD but after mild exertion in water they also decreased in most of the patients. (3) Ratio of ventilatory movement of abdomen to ribcage at upright position increased significantly by IM up to upper chest in COPD compared to that on land. Reserved lung volume improved pulmonary transfer factor increased diaphragmatic ventilation and prevention of exercise induced wheezing in water seemed in favor of utilizing immersing exercise as a physical treatment in those patients. hl

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