Immediate and Long-term Effects of an Adaptation of the Balloon-blowing Exercise

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Despite the literature evidence that the balloon-blowing exercise improves the pulmonary function as a long-term effect, this exercise has not yet been studied or tested experimentally, meaning that there are no specific and measurable results that attest the improvement on thoracoabdominal movement.

Official Title
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Immediate and Long-term Effects of an Adaptation of the Balloon-blowing Exercise on the Thoracoabdominal Movement in Healthy Students - a Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Procedure: An adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise
* Procedure: An adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise for seven weeks, three times a week, at home


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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The target population consisted of healthy physiotherapy students from School of Health - Polytechnic of Porto, who volunteered to participate in study. Inclusion criteria: - In the Experimental Group B were admitted individuals that, through the analysis of the training record sheet, had executed 2⁄3 of the programmed sessions. Exclusion criteria: Individuals that had participated in aerobic physical activities of moderate (i.e., at least 30 minutes on five days per week) or vigorous intensity (i.e., at least 20 minutes on three days per week) for more than one year; Chronic nonspecific lumbopelvic pain (i.e., recurrent episodes of lumbopelvic pain for a period exceeding three months); Flu symptoms or respiratory infection up to one week before data collection; History of recent ribs fracture and pain in the last three months; Pulmonary or rib cage previous pathologies; Length discrepancy of the lower limbs or other postural asymmetries; History of spinal, gynaecological, or abdominal surgery in the previous year; Recurrent muscle/joint pain and history of musculoskeletal injury in the last three months; Smoking and/or drinking habits.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 25 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Experimental group A<br>Participants executed two sets of twelve repetitions of an adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise. | Procedure: An adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise<br>* The participants were positioned in supine, on a semi-rigid surface, with the upper limbs placed above the level of the head, at rest. Their feet were also placed at a resting position on a wall and with their hips and knees at 90o of flexion. The cervical was placed in a neutral position and the pelvis was maintained in a posterior pelvic tilt, both structures corrected by the researcher. The participants were asked to contract the adductors, maintaining a bilateral and symmetric pressure between 10 and 15 mmHg on two sphygmomanometers placed between the knees. Also, an isometric contraction of the hamstrings and gluteus was requested. A Threshold®, with a minimum resistance of 5 cmH2O, and they were instructed to close their lips around the mouthpiece, to avoid air leaks. To start the exercise, it was transmitted to the participants to make a maximum inspiration through the nose, for two seconds. Subsequently, a maximum exhalation throughout the threshold was made for three seconds.<br>* Other names: Motor control exercise A;|
| No Intervention: Control group A<br>No intervention was applied. | |
| Experimental: Experimental group B<br>Participants executed two sets of twelve repetitions of an adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise for seven weeks, three times a week, at home. | Procedure: An adaptation of the balloon-blowing exercise for seven weeks, three times a week, at home<br>* The participants were positioned in supine, on a semi-rigid surface, with the upper limbs placed above the level of the head, at rest. Their feet were also placed at a resting position on a wall and with their hips and knees at 90o of flexion. The cervical was placed in a neutral position and the pelvis was maintained in a posterior pelvic tilt, both structures corrected by the researcher. The participants were asked to contract the adductors, maintaining a bilateral and symmetric pressure between 10 and 15 mmHg on two sphygmomanometers placed between the knees. Also, an isometric contraction of the hamstrings and gluteus was requested. A Threshold®, with a minimum resistance of 5 cmH2O, and they were instructed to close their lips around the mouthpiece, to avoid air leaks. To start the exercise, it was transmitted to the participants to make a maximum inspiration through the nose, for two seconds. Subsequently, a maximum exhalation throughout the threshold was made for three seconds.<br>* Other names: Motor control exercise B;|
| No Intervention: Control group B<br>No intervention was applied. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Anterior-to-posterior movement of the upper rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Immediate after procedure | 
| Anterior-to-posterior movement of the lower rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Immediate after procedure | 
| Anterior-to-posterior abdominal movement | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Immediate after procedure | 
| Medial-to-lateral movement of the upper rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Immediate after procedure | 
| Medial-to-lateral movement of the lower rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Immediate after procedure | 
| Anterior-to-posterior movement of the upper rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Seven weeks | 
| Anterior-to-posterior movement of the lower rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Seven weeks | 
| Anterior-to-posterior abdominal movement | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Seven weeks | 
| Medial-to-lateral movement of the upper rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Seven weeks | 
| Medial-to-lateral movement of the lower rib cage | Thoracoabdominal movement was measure through Qualisys motion capture system. | Seven weeks |