Visual feedback increases chest wall mobility measure: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Visual feedback could optimize the evaluation of chest wall mobility. Objective: To compare chest wall mobility performed with and without visual feedback. Methods: Cross-sectional study, 64 healthy volunteers, average age 24 years old. The thorax circumference was measured at two locations, the axillary and xiphisternum regions, by a tape placed at the anterior axillary line and at the xiphoid process. The evaluations were performed: (i) after verbal explanation (without visual feedback), (ii) after verbal explanation plus visual feedback (with visual feedback); for this evaluation the volunteer remained in front of the computer, which provides visual feedback. Results: There was no difference between axillary measurement with vs. without feedback (7.5 ± 2.4 cm vs. 7.9 ± 3.3 cm, respectively, p = 0.215), but significant difference between xiphisternum measurement 7.1 ± 2.7cm with feedback vs. 6.5 ± 2.3cm without feedback, p = 0.043. Low intraclass correlation coefficients were observed for the axillary measurement [0.51 (0.19–0.72, p = 0.003) and for xiphisternum measurement [0.60 (0.35–0.76, p < 0.001) performed with and without feedback, respectively. Conclusion: Thoracic mobility presents great variability when compared with and without feedback, so the visual stimulus must be taken into account in this evaluation.

Key words::

• Feedback
• physical therapy
• respiratory mechanics
• thorax wall

Source(s) of support

Lilian Rocha Ferraz Archija was supported by a scientific institution scholarship from grant 2011/ 00749-6 , Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil. Anderson de Camargo was supported by a scientific institution scholarship from the Programa de Suporte da Pós Graduação de Instituições de Ensino Particulares, da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, São Paulo SP, Brazil.

Conflicts of interest: None to declare.