Pranayama Research Articles

Effectiveness of Deep Breathing Technique on Pain Level of School Children during Catheterization

Abstract Background: Pediatric medical procedures mostly cause pain and fear among hospitalized children. Many nonpharmacological pain strategies can used to decrease children’s fear and pain in addition to decreasing the burden of medication. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the deep breathing technique on children's pain intensity during urine catheterization procedures, at Children Welfare Teaching Hospital in Baghdad city. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was selected to determine the effects of pain strategies through achieving the manipulation and control group, conducted with a nonprobability (convenience) sample of 60 children of both genders at the age range of 6–12 years, divided into three groups of 20 children in each group. The study was carried out at Children Welfare Teaching Hospitals, from the period October 13, 2021, to July 28, 2022. The numeric Pain Rating Scale was used to assess pain level before and after nursing intervention with three pain management methods that included deep breathing technique, pharmacological, and combination methods. Results: The result of the study revealed that the application of deep breathing techniques, pharmacological, and combination methods were effective in reducing children’s pain at different levels. The deep breathing method has a significant influence on reducing children’s pain. The most effective method to reduce children’s pain was a combination method. Conclusion: This study concludes that the application of all pain management methods in this study was effective in reducing children’s pain at different levels during catheterization. The combination method (pharmacological and nonpharmacological) was most effective in reducing children’s pain. However, the deep breathing method approved its significant influence on children’s pain.

The Effect of Yoga on Body Mass Index and Dysmenorrhoea in Female Students Majoring

Introduction: Dysmenorrhoea is pain that occurs during menstruation. This causes the body to feel bad and reduces the routine activities of people with dysmenorrhoea. One factor that can reduce dysmenorrhoea is yoga exercises. Yoga is a physical activity, learning mental and breathing techniques to relieve stress, relieve anxiety, reduce menstrual pain, and control weight to be more ideal. This study aims to determine the effect of yoga on body mass index and dysmenorrhoea in female students of the Department of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health East Kalimantan Polytechnic. Method: This research is a type of Experimental Quasy research with a type design of group pretest-posttest design. This research was carried out at the nutrition building of the Ministry of Health East Kalimantan Polytechnic in March-April. The samples used were 14 female students majoring in nutrition using a simple random sampling technique. This research has met the ethical requirements and is approved to be carried out, taking into account the National Health Research and Development Ethical Guidelines and Standards (PSEPPKN) with certificate number DP.04.03/7.1/7844/2023. Bivariate analysis is carried out to determine whether there is an influence between each variable using the Wilcoxon test. Results: The results of this study showed the influence of yoga on body mass index and dysmenorrhoea in female students majoring in nutrition at the Ministry of Health East Kalimantan Polytechnic marked by p-value Body mass index 0.019 < 0.05 and P-Value dysmenorrhoea 0.000 < 0.05. Conclusion: Yoga significantly influences body mass index and dysmenorrhoea in female students majoring in nutrition at the Ministry of Health East Kalimantan Polytechnic. Suggestion: This can be used as an essential reference for similar research on the effect of yoga on body mass index and dysmenorrhoea and covers a wide range of respondents.

Short-term yoga breathing intervention improves blood oxygenation, actual emotional state and resilience score in postmenopausal women

Short-term yoga breathing intervention improves blood oxygenation, actual emotional state and resilience score in postmenopausal women

Intervention Programs Targeting Burnout in Health Professionals: A Systematic Review.

Burnout is an occupational syndrome, with a higher prevalence in professionals whose close involvement with other people is significant. There is a great diversity of professionals at risk of burnout, and therefore the implementation of intervention programs is relevant, as helping people to maintain their mental and emotional health enables them to become more meaningfully involved in their communities and become more effective and active global citizens. We aimed to review systematically the characteristics of interventions targeting burnout in health professionals. The search was conducted in three databases: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed, following the PRISMA model, and 16 eligible articles were identified between 2012 and 2023. Mindfulness showed great efficacy in preventing burnout, by reducing stress levels and promoting empathy. In addition, relaxation and breathing techniques, yoga, and music therapy showed to improve burnout and occupational stress levels. Balint groups have also helped slow the progression of burnout. Implications about the need for future research to foster the promotion of well-being and mental health of health professionals are mentioned. Mindfulness, relaxation and breathing techniques, yoga, music therapy and balint groups proved to be effective in preventing burnout.

Enhancement of Pulmonary Function and Reduction of Complications Through EIT-Guided Yoga Breathing Exercise After Esophagectomy.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the impact of EIT-guided yoga breathing training on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) for esophageal cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Total of 62 patients underwent radical resections of esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer patients were randomized to the standard care group, or the intervention group receiving an additional complete breathing exercise under the guidance of EIT in AICU. Following extubation after the esophagectomy, pulmonary functions were evaluated by EIT with center of ventilation (CoV), dependent silent spaces (DSS), and non-dependent silent spaces (NSS). RESULTS Sixty-one older esophageal cancer patients (31 in the Control group and 30 in the EIT group) were included in the final analysis. Forty-four patients experienced pulmonary complications after esophagectomy, 27 (87.1%) in the Control group and 17 (36.7%) in the EIT group (RR, 0.42 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.69). The most common pulmonary complication was pleural effusion, with an incidence of 30% in the EIT group and 74.2% in the Control group, with RR of 0.40 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.73). Time for the first pulmonary complication was significantly longer in the EIT group than in the Control group (hazard ratio, HR, 0.43; 95% CI 0.21 to 0.87; P=0.019). Patients in the EIT group had significantly higher scores in CoV, DSS, and NSS than in the Control group. CONCLUSIONS Guided by EIT, the addition of the postoperative breathing exercise to the standardized care during AICU could further improve pulmonary function, and reduce postoperative pulmonary complications after esophagectomy.

Effect of pursed lip breathing (PLB) exercises on respiratory rate among patients with pneumonia

Background: Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection, commonly caused by viruses or bacteria. It can cause mild illness or even be life-threatening. When a person suffers from pneumonia, the alveolus will be filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake so that the patient will feel short of breath. PLB therapy will help develop the alveolus in the lung lobes so that it helps push the secretions in the respiratory tract during expiration and increase alveolus pressure. Purpose: To determine the respiratory rate (RR) using pursed lip breathing. Method: Study with evidence-based practice. The subjects used were 5 patients with pneumonia, data analysis using descriptive analysis. Results: The application carried out for 15 minutes in a span of 3 days, there was a decrease in respiratory rate in pneumonia patients. Conclusion: The Pursed Lips Breathing (PLB) technique is effective in reducing or reducing the rate of respiratory in patients with pneumonia.

Cyclic Meditation and Sleep Quality: A Review

Abstract Objectives Insufficient sleep leads to several short- and long-term physical and mental consequences. Yoga is a popularly known complementary health approach that maintains physical and mental health through asanas, meditation, and breathing techniques. Cyclic meditation (CM), derived from one of the Upanishads, is practiced by combining physical postures (asanas) with relaxation techniques. Recent findings emphasize the significance of CM as a means to enhance sleep quality. The current review aims to find the effects of CM on sleep quality through the available scientific data. Methods The current review includes research articles evaluating CM's effect on sleep quality from various databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar up to January 22, 2023. We conducted a literature search using keywords related to CM and sleep quality, and search results were restricted to studies published in the English language. Results There were 5 articles with 277 participants meeting inclusion criteria, all conducted in India. Of those, 2 were randomized controlled trials and 3 were single-group or two-group pre-post and crossover studies. Participants ranged from healthy volunteers, type-2 diabetic patients, alcohol dependents, and caregivers for special needs children. Based on the available scientific evidence, CM has been found to be effective (d = 0.56–4.90) in enhancing the quality of sleep. Conclusion The CM technique could be tentatively considered as a beneficial practice to improve sleep. However, further, adequately powered, and randomized controlled studies with various other parameters of sleep are required to strongly recommend CM as a stand-alone yogic intervention for sleep disturbance.

Effects of Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction in Adolescents: A Qualitative Study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) on adolescents. Twenty patients (< 17 years) diagnosed with EILO participated in this study. Patients completed semistructured interviews examining their experience with the health care system, treatment, and the effects of EILO symptoms on quality of life. Interviews were analyzed using a combination of directed and conventional content analyses. Researchers identified seven overarching themes either prior to or during analysis, and 24 subthemes were inductively identified from patient interviews using open, axial, and selective coding. On average, patients went 1.9 years between symptom onset and EILO diagnosis. Patients described symptom onset as frightening and confusing. Even after initially reporting symptoms to a medical provider, patients went an average of 10.5 months before diagnosis. Patients perceived that delays in diagnosis prevented efficient management and allowed symptoms to escalate. Patients reported that EILO detrimentally influenced athletic performance, forcing them to pace themselves or cease participation altogether. Social and academic effects of EILO included missed classes, difficulty in physical education courses, and resentment from teammates if athletic performance declined. Both athletes and nonathletes indicated that EILO elicited feelings of fear, frustration, dread, guilt, and embarrassment. Patients reported that therapy with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) effectively addressed symptoms; however, employing rescue breathing techniques was often more difficult than anticipated. Physical and emotional sequelae associated with EILO may have widespread influence on patient quality of life. Therapy with an SLP reportedly ameliorated EILO symptoms; however, patients indicated that delayed diagnosis allowed negative effects to intensify prior to treatment.

Study of gas exchange under different modes of ventilation in yoga breathing exercises

Yoga breathing exercises that develop the ability to voluntarily regulate the minute volume of respiration (MV) and maintain the state of hypoventilation, hypoxia and hypercapnia, can be considered as a way of hypoxic-hypercapnic training, potentially capable of influencing cerebral circulation and neuroprotective factors. However, at the moment, individual anthropometric features that affect the ability to develop a hypoventilation mode of breathing have not been studied, and methodological criteria for training have not been developed.Methods: The study involved 44 people (32 men and 12 women) who regularly practice yoga breathing techniques with a voluntary decrease in respiratory rate using maximum tidal volume (TV). Free breathing was recorded for 2 minutes, then each subject performed the respiratory hypoventilation pattern available to him or her (minimum RR values with maximum TV, inhalation and exhalation were of equal duration). The following parameters of external respiration were determined: respiratory rate (RR), minute ventilation (MV), tidal volume (TV), partial pressure of CO2 in the exhaled air at the end of exhalation (PetCO2 ), percentage of O2 in the exhaled air (FeO2) and hemoglobin saturation (SpO2 ).Results: Compared to breathing at rest (MV = M±SD 8.51 ± 2.57 (95% CI 7.72–9.29) l/min; PetCO2 = M±SD 36.98 ± 3.71 (95% CI 35.85–38.11) mm Hg), the mode with RR = 3 times/min (inspiration and expiration for 10 s), n = 44, leads to an increase in MV up to M±SD 12.02 ± 3.42 (95% CI 10.98–13.06) l/min (p &lt; 0.001) and a decrease of CO2 : PetCO2 = M±SD 33.99 ± 3.59 (95% CI 32.90–35.08) mm Hg (p &lt; 0.001) — that is, to development of alveolar hypocapnia. The mode with RR = 1.5 times/min (inhalation and exhalation for 20 s), n = 44, demonstrates a decrease in MV to M±SD 5.95 ± 1.59 (95% CI 5.46–6.43) l/min (p &lt; 0.001) and growth of PetCO2 up to M±SD 41.19 ± 3.71 (95% CI 40.06–42.32) mm Hg (p &lt; 0.001). The mode with RR = 1 time/min (inspiration and exhalation for 30 s), n = 24: with a decrease in RR to 1 time/min, a decrease in MV was observed to M±SD 4.22 ± 0.92 (95% CI 3.83–4.61) l / min (p &lt; 0.001) and an increase in PetCO2 up to M±SD 44.05 ± 3.05 (95% CI 42.76–45.33) mm Hg (p &lt; 0.001). The breathing pattern with RR = 1 r/min is accompanied by a statistically significant decrease in MV compared to rest, as well as an increase in PetCO2 and a decrease in FeO2 , that is, it is hypoventilation. We have proposed a ventilation coefficient (Qvent), which is the ratio MV/VC, which allows us to judge at what values of MV an individual reaches a state of hypoventilation. It was previously shown in this sample that the breathing exercise becomes hypoventilation when Qvent values are equal to or less than 1. With Qvent in the range from 1 to 2, the ventilation mode is within normal values, and when Qvent is more than 2, hyperventilation occurs.Conclusion: when performing yoga breathing exercises, variations in MV are observed both in the direction of hyperventilation and in the direction of hypoventilation with corresponding shifts in gas exchange (hypocapnia with hyperventilation, hypercapnia with hypoventilation). The MV values at which an individual reaches hypoventilation vary from person to person and can be predicted using the ventilation coefficient (Qvent).

Yoga Exercises as a Therapeutic Approach for Adults with Insomnia to Promote better Sleep: A Randomized Control Trial

Background: Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that significantly impacts the quality of life and is associated with various health complications, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, and depression. Traditional treatments for insomnia often involve pharmacological interventions, but there is growing interest in alternative therapies such as yoga. This study investigates the efficacy of yoga as a therapeutic approach to improving sleep quality in adults with insomnia. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a structured yoga program on sleep quality and sleep latency in adults diagnosed with insomnia. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional design conducted at multiple healthcare facilities, including the Physiotherapy Outpatient Department at Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and District Headquarters Hospital in Rawalpindi. The study duration was four months, involving 54 participants selected through random sampling techniques. Inclusion criteria included adults aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with insomnia according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) or the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Exclusion criteria included severe medical or psychiatric disorders, substance abuse, pregnancy, or recent changes in sleep medication. Participants in the intervention group engaged in a standardized yoga program consisting of gentle yoga postures, controlled breathing techniques, and mindfulness meditation, conducted twice weekly for eight weeks, with each session lasting 60 minutes. The control group received standard care for insomnia. Data collection involved subjective assessments of sleep quality using validated questionnaires and objective measures through polysomnography. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.0, with independent sample t-tests comparing means between groups and repeated measures ANOVA for within-group analysis. Results: The yoga group showed significant improvements in subjective sleep quality and sleep latency. The mean sleep quality score improved from 2.18 ± 0.66 pre-intervention to 0.92 ± 0.37 post-intervention (p=0.0001), while the control group showed a less marked improvement from 2.37 ± 0.48 to 2.03 ± 0.18 (p=0.0012). Sleep latency in the yoga group decreased from 3.00 ± 0.00 to 1.29 ± 0.40 (p=0.0002), whereas the control group showed a reduction from 2.44 ± 0.49 to 2.11 ± 0.31 (p=0.0013). ANOVA results confirmed the statistical significance of these findings, with an F-value of 69.897 for sleep quality (p=0.0001) and 361.947 for sleep latency (p=0.0002). Conclusion: The findings indicate that a structured yoga program significantly improves sleep quality and reduces sleep latency in adults with insomnia. Yoga appears to be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for managing insomnia, offering a viable alternative to traditional treatments.

European Respiratory Society clinical practice guideline on symptom management for adults with serious respiratory illness.

Respiratory symptoms are ubiquitous and impair health-related quality of life in people with respiratory disease. This European Respiratory Society (ERS) task force aimed to provide recommendations for symptomatic treatment in people with serious respiratory illness. The ERS task force comprised 16 members, including representatives of people with serious respiratory illness and informal caregivers. Seven questions were formulated, six in the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) format, which were addressed with full systematic reviews and evidence assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). One question was addressed narratively. An "evidence-to-decision" framework was used to formulate recommendations. To treat symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness, the task force suggests the use of graded exercise therapy (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence); and suggests the use of a multicomponent services, handheld fan and breathing techniques (conditional recommendations, very low certainty of evidence). The task force suggests not to use opioids (conditional recommendation, very low certainty of evidence); and suggests either administering or not administering supplemental oxygen therapy (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence). The task force suggests that needs assessment tools may be used as part of a comprehensive needs assessment, but do not replace patient-centred care and shared decision making (conditional recommendation, low certainty of evidence). The low certainty of evidence, modest impact of interventions on patient-centred outcomes, and absence of effective strategies to ameliorate cough highlight the need for new approaches to reduce symptoms and enhance wellbeing for individuals who live with serious respiratory illness.

Intensity Modulated Therapy for Patients With Breast Cancer. Practical Guidelines and Tips for an Effective Treatment Planning Strategy

PurposePractical guidelines and tips for effective and robust radiotherapy treatment planning for breast cancer patients are addressed for intensity-modulated fixed field or volumetric modulated arc therapy techniques. The concepts described here are general and valid on all the treatment planning systems. However, some details have been shown here applied to the Varian platforms used at the authors’ institutions. MethodsThe specific aspects of using C-arm or O-ring mounted linear accelerators are covered in the document, as well as tips for dealing with certain resource constraints, target cropping and skin flash aiming to reduce risks of skin toxicity and to manage (residual after breath control) respiration motion or oedema. ResultsA decision tree is presented, and practical solutions are discussed for cases where a target volume is contoured or not; where volumetric modulated arc therapy or fixed beams intensity modulation should be applied and details about the technical implementation (tangential IMRT, butterfly IMRT or VMAT, large partial VMAT arcs). Target cropping and skin flash implications are discussed in detail, and links to plan robustness are outlined. ConclusionsPractical guidelines for breast planning are presented and summarized with a decision tree and technical summaries.

Effect of Buteyko Breathing Technique with Pranayama Breathing Techniques to Reduce the Symptoms in Asthmatic Patients

Effect of Buteyko Breathing Technique with Pranayama Breathing Techniques to Reduce the Symptoms in Asthmatic Patients

Middle Latency Auditory Evoked Response during High-frequency Yoga Breathing, Breath Awareness, and Quiet Rest.

Yoga breathing influences cortical activity and, hence, cortico-efferent sensory activity. Previously, slow yoga breathing influenced the components of mid-latency auditory evoked potentials. The present study aimed to compare middle latency auditory evoked potentials (MLAEPs) recorded during (i) High-frequency yoga breathing (HFYB), (ii) Breath awareness (BAW), and (iii) Quiet rest (QR) as a control in experienced yoga practitioners. The MLAEPs were recorded before, during, and after the practice of HFYB compared to an equal duration of BAW and QR in 22 university students whose ages ranged from 18 to 28 years, recorded from the vertex referenced to linked earlobes and the ground electrode on forehead. The peak amplitude of the Pa wave was significantly increased during HFYB compared to before HFYB (repeated measures ANOVA, post hoc analysis with least significant difference, P < 0.05). During BAW, the peak amplitude of the Na wave was significantly increased compared to before BAW (P < 0.05). During QR, the peak latency of "Pa" and "Nb" waves was significantly increased compared to before QR (P < 0.01). The findings suggest that changes in MLAEPs during HFYB, BAW, and QR were different and distinct. Both interventional sessions appear to increase the recruitment of neural resources in the primary auditory cortex, whereas QR appears to slow transmission within the thalamic reticular projection to the cortex. Generalizing the findings is restricted by the sample being confined to male experienced practitioners of yoga breathing.

Effect of Volitional Modification of Breath Frequency on Attention and Mood States: An Exploratory Randomized Crossover Study.

Previously, yoga breathing improved mood states and attention but the effect of varying breath frequency on mood and attention was not clear. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of changes in breath frequency on attention, mood, vigor, and affect states. Thirty participants (mean age ± standard deviation, 27.3 ± 4.2 years) were assessed on 2 separate days practicing either high-frequency yoga breathing (HFYB, breath frequency 54.23/min) or bumblebee yoga breathing (BBYB, breath frequency 3.97/min) in random order. Assessments included blood pressure (BP), cancellation test scores, Nijmegen (to check for hyperventilation), respiration (rate, height of the breath wave [depth], and duration of inhalation relative to exhalation), mood states, vigor, and affect states. Diastolic BP increased after HFYB, whereas systolic BP decreased after BBYB, after both sessions scores in a cancellation test increased (changes in cancellation test performance suggest alertness and test-directed attention), also global vigor (signifying mental energy) and global affect (related to being "happy" and "calm") scores increased, whereas negative mood decreased after HFYB session (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). Both HFYB and BBYB increased attention test scores, possibly due to cortical activation (HFYB) or relaxation (BBYB). In HFYB, breath frequency and inspiration duration increased suggestive of increased sympathetic activity, accounting for increased vigor, positive affect, and diastolic BP. In contrast in BBYB, low breath frequency, higher breath amplitude, and prolonged expiration suggestive of parasympathetic activity may account for the decreased systolic BP after BBYB.

THE EFFECT OF DEEP BREATHING AND MASSAGE RELAXATION TECHNIQUES ON REDUCING THE SCALE OF PAIN IN HERNIOTOMY PATIENTS

Herniotomyis a surgery performed to free the hernia sac up to the neck, so that adhesions do not occur and then it is repositioned. The hernia sac is stitched, tied as high as possible and then cut. The patient will always experience pain after surgery on day 1. Deep breathing and massage relaxation techniques are one of the non-pharmacological pain management methods to reduce pain. this research aims todetermine the effect of deep breathing relaxation techniques and massage on reducing the pain scale in herniotomy patients. This research uses a literature review by searching articles on the Google Scholar electronic database. Several articles were found in the Google Scholar search database, but only 8 articles met all the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Results: pain in post-operative patients often occurs, there are many non-pharmacological techniques to treat pain, one of which is the deep breathing technique. Conclusion: The conclusion of the 8 journals studied is that deep breathing relaxation therapy is very influential in reducing pain intensity in postoperative patients if done correctly and continuously.

Emerging trends in management of long COVID with a focus on pulmonary rehabilitation: A review.

Long COVID, or post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), represents a complex condition with persistent symptoms following SARS-Cov-2 infection. The symptoms include fatigue, dyspnoea, cognitive impairment, decreased quality of life in variable levels of severity. Potential mechanisms behind long COVID include vascular damage, immune dysregulation and viral persistence. Diagnosing long COVID involves medical evaluation by multidisciplinary team and assessment of persistent symptoms with scoring systems in development. Treatment strategies are symptom-focused, encompassing multidisciplinary care, rehabilitation and tailored exercise programmes. Pulmonary rehabilitation, an effective and critical component of long COVID management, has shown promise, particularly for patients with respiratory symptoms such as dyspnoea. These programmes, which combine exercise, breathing techniques, education and psychological support, improve symptoms, quality of life and overall recovery. Innovative technologies, such as telemedicine, wearable devices, telerehabilitation, are transforming long COVID management. Telemedicine facilitates consultations and interventions, eliminating healthcare access barriers. Wearable devices enable remote and continuous monitoring of patients during their rehabilitation activities. Telerehabilitation has proven to be safe and feasible and to have high potential for COVID-19 recovery. This review provides a concise overview of long COVID, encompassing its definition, prevalence, mechanisms, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and management approaches. It emphasizes the significance of multidisciplinary approach in diagnosis and treatment of long COVID, with focus on pulmonary rehabilitation and innovative technology advances to effectively address the management of long COVID.

Combating With COPD by QiGong Physical and Mental Exercise.

Physical activity levels of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are low due to the symptoms of COPD. The patients diagnosed with COPD are headed for complementary and alternative treatments to reduce the COPD symptoms, facilitate the treatment, and increase their physical activity. One of these treatments is QiGong, which is not yet common in our country. QiGong is a type of exercise based on ancient Chinese medicine, and mainly consists of active and passive exercises. These exercises open energy channels in the body, and thus prevent and/or heal diseases by establishing energy balance in the body through meditation, breath control, and bodily exercises. According to a literature review abroad, there are a small number of scientific studies related the therapeutic effect of QiGong exercises on symptom control, anxiety, reduction of stress and depression, increase in physical activity and quality of life, and the development of lung function of patients with COPD. By considering the educative role of nurses, it is important that the nurse has adequate knowledge of the treatment and care of patients with COPD. Therefore, this review is compiled to be informative about the effects of QiGong in the treatment of COPD, and assistance to subsequent studies.

Therapeutic benefit of laughter yoga and deep breathing exercises with oral doses of Withania somnifera root extracts in Parkinson's disease patients.

Therapeutic benefit of laughter yoga and deep breathing exercises with oral doses of Withania somnifera root extracts in Parkinson's disease patients.

The Effects of Different Breathing Techniques on Lower Extremity Muscle Function and Postural Stability

OBJECTIVES This study examines the effects of bracing versus hollowing breathing techniques on lower limb muscle function and postural stability, aiming to identify the most effective breathing strategy for functional movement.METHODS Conducted on ten healthy males in their twenties without back or musculoskeletal issues, the study involved pre-experiment training in both breathing techniques. It assessed maximal strength, endurance, and power during knee flexion and extension, alongside postural stability, with both eyes open and closed, using the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test for analysis.RESULTS Except for certain specific measurements (right flexor muscle peak torque, left flexor muscle total work, and right extensor muscle power), statistical analysis showed significant differences in Knee muscle function favoring the bracing technique (p&lt;.05). While postural stability tests showed no significant overall differences between the techniques, an observable trend emerged: the hollowing group showed superior performance in one-foot balance tasks, whereas the bracing group demonstrated better outcomes in two-footed stances.CONCLUSIONS It is anticipated that bracing breathing will positively influence muscle training, surpassing the effects of hollowing by bolstering the strength, endurance, and power of the lower limbs. However, for postural stability, the hollowing technique may offer advantages in tasks requiring higher balance acuity, like one-legged standing. In contrast, bracing appears more effective for simpler stability tasks. These findings underscore breathing techniques' role in physical performance, highlighting the need for further, detailed research considering posture and musculoskeletal influences.