Physiotherapy and Dysfunctional Breathing (HVS)

Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

Status and phase: Unknown; Phase 3

Conditions: Hyperventilation

Treatments: Other: Breathing re-training; Other: Breathing re-training and musculoskeletal techniques

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00895219

06/Q0404/64

Details and patient eligibility

About

Traditionally, the physiotherapy management of people with dysfunctional breathing or hyperventilation syndrome is breathing re-training. There is increasing clinical evidence that structural and functional changes develop in the muscles and connective tissues of the chest wall, abdomen and back when the upper chest accessory pattern of breathing is used over time. When treatment includes breathing techniques only it is difficult for a person with chronic hyperventilation, who has developed muscle and connective tissue changes, to revert to using the normal lower chest diaphragmatic breathing pattern. In clinical practice when the problems which have developed in the musculoskeletal system are addressed, the patient reverts more quickly to the lower chest pattern of breathing but there is as yet little evidence to support this clinical finding.

Enrollment: 60 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 16+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosis of dysfunctional breathing (Nijmegen score of more than 23)

Exclusion criteria

• active metastatic disease
• osteoporotic disease
• dysfunctional breathing as a consequence of respiratory or cardiac disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

60 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Active Comparator group

Description:

Breathing re-training

Treatment:

Other: Breathing re-training

2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Breathing re-training and musculoskeletal physiotherapy techniques

Treatment:

Other: Breathing re-training and musculoskeletal techniques