The relationship between thoracic configuration and changes in volumes of hemithoraces in upright sitting.
Akira Shōbo, Fujiyasu Kakizaki
PMID 27942150WHAT IT FOUND
In upright sitting, the left upper chest expanded more than the right, and the right lower chest expanded more than the left.
This asymmetry was seen during quiet and volitional deep breathing. It was found in sedentary men, not patients.
Key findings
01During quiet and volitional deep breathing, the left upper chest showed a larger volume change than the right.
02During quiet and volitional deep breathing, the right lower chest showed a larger volume change than the left.
03Mean tidal volume was 632.1 ml for quiet breathing and 1477.0 ml for volitional deep breathing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only sedentary men without respiratory or spinal conditions, so it does not describe patients with breathing symptoms. No intervention was tested, so the paper cannot show that changing posture or thoracic mobility improves breathing. The authors did not determine whether the asymmetry was caused by ventilatory dysfunction or spinal malalignment. The measurements were taken in one upright sitting posture, so they may not apply to other positions.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the asymmetry as evidence of disease or as proof that postural correction improves breathing. The participants were sedentary men without respiratory or spinal conditions, and no patient outcomes were measured.