Segmental breathing exercise: Health Benefits, Procedure, Indication & Contraindications

What is segmental breathing exercise?

Segmental breathing exercise is performed in particular area of chest it is usually perform for ventilation and movement around particular area of lung.it will usually performed condition like hypoxemia, fibrosis around chest, pain after surgery, scar around chest, pneumonia, post mastectomy. it will necessary to expansion to particular area such as lung and chest wall segment.

chest segment has three lobe:

• upper segment
• middle segment
• apical segment

segmental breathing exercise usually perform for clear the secretion all three segment of chest

What are the Health benefit of Segmental breathing exercise?

• It will prevent accumulation of fluid around the chest area
• Reduce paradoxical breathing movement
• enhance mobility of the chest
• To prevent swelling around the chest
• Improving lung function such as vital capacity
• Reducing cough
• strengthen diaphragm muscles
• recover tense muscle
• natural pain removal
• enhance blood supply of the body
• reduces inflammation
• also effective relieving in blood pressure
• improve virtue of life with patient Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

What are types of Segmental breathing exercise?

• lateral costal expansion
• posterior basal expansion
• Right middle lobe expansion(lingual expansion)
• apical expansion

Lateral costal expansion

it is also call lateral basal expansion.it usually done unilaterally or bilaterally.it can also done in sitting or lying position

• place your hand lateral aspect of the rib cage
• and ask the patient to breathe out and the rib cage should be downward and inward
• as the patient expired therapist should apply pressure on the rib cage with the palms of your hand
• before inspiration you need to downward and inward stretch to the chest to facilitate the external intercostal contraction
• apply normal force on lower rib cage to get stimulate and patient get inspirited deeply and chest will expand
• when patient expiration therapist will squeezing the rib cage downward and the inward
• patient may perform manually ask to apply force by with his hand or with towel

lateral costal expansion seen in chronic bronchitis, emphysema and other lung condition

Lateral Costal Breathing exercise video:

Posterior basal expansion

This form of deep breathing exercise accent post-surgical maneuver who have bedridden and cannot sit up for prolonged the time period. because of that time secretion move to the posterior segment of the lower side of the rib.

• sit and lean onward on a pillow, slightly bend your hips
• place the physiotherapist’s hand over a posterior segment of the rib
• place your hand lateral aspect of the rib cage
• ask the patient to breathe out and the rib cage should be downward and inward
• as the patient expired therapist should apply pressure on rib cage with the palms of hand
• before inspiration you need to downward and inward stretch to the chest to facilitate the external intercostal contraction
• apply normal force on lower rib cage to get stimulate and patient get inspirited deeply and chest will expand
• when patient expired therapist will squeezing the rib cage downward and an inward
• patient may perform indirectly ask to apply force by with his hand or with towel

Right middle lobe expansion(lingual expansion)

• the patient is in a sitting position therapist’s hand should be right or left side at the below axilla level
• ask the patient to breathe out and the rib cage should be downward and inward
• as the patient expired therapist should apply pressure on the rib cage with the palms of hand
• before inspiration you need to downward and inward stretch to the chest to facilitate the external intercostal contraction
• apply normal force on lower rib cage to get stimulate and patient get inspirited deeply and chest will expand
• when patient expiration therapist will squeeze the rib cage downward and the inward
• patient may perform manually ask to apply force by with his hand or with towel

Apical expansion

• Patient in a sitting position on a chair or bed therapist’s hand should be below the clavicle
• As the patient breathes out apply pressure with the palm or fingertip just below the clavicle
• this procedure is use in a patients with diagnosed with pneumothorax after surgery

What are the indication of segmental breathing exercise?

• cystic fibrosis
• bronchiectasis
• lung abscess
• chronic obstructive pulmonary dialed
• neuromuscular diseases
• atelectasis
• acute or chronic lung disease
• airway obstruction
• pneumonia
• any condition related to lung
• postoperative pain
• dyspnea
• shortness of breath
• cough and sputum in lung

What are the contraindication of segmental breathing exercise?

• pain and discomfort due to injury
• increase intracranial pressure
• head and neck injury
• hypertension
• Any type of fracture around the chest
• if the patient having an abdominal incision
• recent operation in chest
• airway obstruction
• diaphragm and intercostal muscle weakness

Segmental Breathing exercise video: