Effect of pranayama on respiratory muscle strength in chronic asthmatics

Abstract

Background: Pranayama is a breathing technique that produces many systemic and psychological effects in the body, specifically on the respiratory system. It is also an art which controls the life force of breath. Aims and Objectives: The current study is designed to assess the effect of pranayama on respiratory muscle strength of chronic asthmatics. Materials and Methods: This study is designed to observe the measurement of maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) in asthma patients before and after Pranayama practice. Maximum respiratory pressure is one of the important methods of diagnosing respiratory muscle dysfunction. The study group consisted of 100 asthmatics. The participants were asked to undergo Pranayama training for 30 min daily, for 12 weeks. In the beginning of the course, the first phase of the recording was done and the second phase was done after 12 weeks of the regular pranayama practice. Result: The results showed statistically significant improvement in MIP from 64.08 ± 8.162 to 70.38 ± 6.169 and MEP from 107.92 ± 9.897 to 113.68 ± 8.767 in asthma patients after pranayama. Conclusion: The current study shows that pranayama has a positive effect on respiratory system with evidence of improvement in respiratory muscle strength.