The effects of decreased inspiratory capacity on postural stability during backward reach.
Akira Kubo, Masahiro Ishizaka
PMID 32581436WHAT IT FOUND
In 13 healthy young men, reducing the amount of air they inhaled shortened how far they could reach backward while rotating the trunk.
The shortest reach was 14.8 cm versus 18.9 cm at normal breathing.
Key findings
01In 13 right-handed healthy male volunteers, backward reach distance was 18.9 ± 4.2 cm at resting expiration, 16.4 ± 4.4 cm at -1/3 IC, and 14.8 ± 4.8 cm at -2/3 IC.
02The resting expiration and -2/3 IC conditions differed significantly (p<0.05).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 13 participants were tested, and all were healthy young men, not patients with COPD. Because participants were right-handed and the test used the right upper limb, results may not generalize to other limbs or handedness. The outcome was backward reach distance under controlled breathing, not actual balance in daily life or fall risk. The authors state that whether the findings apply to patients with COPD remains to be elucidated.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that reduced inspiratory capacity causes falls in people with COPD or that this backward reach test is ready for clinical use. The study tested 13 healthy young men, not patients, and the authors say whether the findings apply to COPD remains unclear.