Abstract
This study aimed to compare the electromyographic (EMG) activity among participants with costo-diaphragmatic, mixed or upper costal breathing type. Forty male were classified according to their breathing type into three groups: costo-diaphragmatic, upper costal and mixed breathing type. EMG activity of diaphragm (DIA), external intercostal (EIC), sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and latissimus dorsi (LAT) muscles was recorded in the dorsal, left lateral and ventral decubitus positions, during the following tasks: 1) quiet breathing, 2) speaking, 3) swallowing, and 4) sustained maximal inspiration. DIA activity was higher in upper costal than in costo-diaphragmatic breathing in all tasks and body positions; was higher in mixed than in costo-diaphragmatic breathing in all tasks in the dorsal and ventral decubitus positions and only in task 4 in the left lateral decubitus position; was similar between upper costal and mixed breathing in all tasks and body positions. EIC activity was significantly higher in mixed than costodiaphragmatic breathing in all tasks in the dorsal decubitus position and only in task 4 in the left lateral decubitus position. SCM activity did not show significant differences. LAT activity was only higher in upper costal than costodiaphragmatic breathing in task 4 in the dorsal decubitus position, in tasks 1, 2 and 4 in the left lateral decubitus position, and in tasks 2, 3 and 4 in the ventral decubitus position. EMG activity of the DIA was the only muscle that allows to differentiate between upper costal or mixed breathing than costo-diaphragmatic in all tasks in the dorsal and ventral decubitus positions.
Highlights
The main muscle involved in inspiration is the diaphragm, the external intercostal muscles participate in this function; and may receive support from the parasternal intercostal, sternocleidomastoid, scalene, upper trapezius, large dorsal and the pectoralis major muscles according to the demand imposed on the respiratory system [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]
DIA activity was higher in participants with mixed than in participants with costo-diaphragmatic breathing in all tasks in the dorsal and ventral decubitus positions, only in task 4 in the left lateral decubitus position
The lower EMG activity observed in DIA muscle in participants with costo-diaphragmatic breathing when compared with upper costal or mixed breathing type is consistent with the evidence that this muscle improves pulmonary ventilation, mainly to the basal segments of the lung [31,32,33,34], being the main muscle of inspiration and responsible for generating the majority of inspiratory airflow [35]
Summary
The main muscle involved in inspiration is the diaphragm, the external intercostal muscles participate in this function; and may receive support from the parasternal intercostal, sternocleidomastoid, scalene, upper trapezius, large dorsal and the pectoralis major muscles according to the demand imposed on the respiratory system [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. Breathing type has been defined depending on the expansion of the abdomino-thoracic region during inspiration at rest, and three types have been described [15,16]: 1) costo-diaphragmatic breathing; 2) upper costal breathing; 3) mixed breathing. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of respiratory muscles between healthy subjects with upper costal and costo-.
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