Does the Aquatic Breathing Program Improve Lung Function in Adolescents with Scoliosis?

Abstract

Aim: To determine pulmonary parameters in adolescents with scoliosis after three weeks of intensive physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises based on the Aquatic Breathing Program (ABP) compared to corrective swimming (CS).

Methods: A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The ABP group comprised 13 adolescents (age 14.2 ± 1.4) and the CS group 10 adolescents (age 14.1 ± 1.5) with mild to moderate scoliosis. Both groups participated in a threeweek intervention consisted of three types of exercises: corrective, general and aquatic. ABP group participated in the Aquatic Breathing Program and CS group took part in corrective swimming. Spirometric measurements were taken before and after the intervention.

Results: ABP group demonstrated a greater increase (p = .05) in the predicted percentage values of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and maximal expiratory flow at 25% of forced vital capacity (MEF₂₅), both in absolute terms and in percentage values (MEF₂₅%pred) compared to the CS group. CS group exhibited lower values of all measured parameters in the second examination, and some of those differences were found to be statistically significant.

Conclusions: The Aquatic Breathing Program can be used in adolescents with mild to moderate scoliosis to improve lung function.

Keywords:

• Aquatic breathing program
• aquatic therapy
• respiratory muscles
• scoliosis
• spirometry

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Ogonowska-Slodownik

Anna Ogonowska-Slodownik, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Rehabilitation at the Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.

Katarzyna Kaczmarczyk

Katarzyna Kaczmarczyk, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Rehabilitation at the Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.

Gabriela Kokowicz

Gabriela Kokowicz, MPT, is a Physiotherapist at the Department of Rehabilitation at the Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.

Natalia Morgulec-Adamowicz

Natalia Morgulec-Adamowicz, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Rehabilitation at the Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.