Effect of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Breathing Exercises on Some Spirometry Indices of Sedentary Students With Poor Posture

Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) approach is developed based on neurodevelopmental kinesiology and reflex-mediated core stabilization concepts. But the outcomes of this approach remain unclear. So changes in some spirometry indices in response to DNS breathing exercises in sedentary students with poor posture will be explored.

In this single-group pretest-posttest study design, we involved 26 male volunteer sedentary students with poor posture. First, a pretest of the spirometry indices (Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV), Forced Expiratory Volume in first second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio) were done each participant in random order. DNS breathing exercise protocol (six times a week, for six weeks) were trained and after completion of training, the post-test of the same parameters was performed. Descriptive statistical and the paired-sample test were used to analyze.

The findings of data analysis indicated that the effect of DNS breathing exercise on respiratory function and significant improvements were observed in post-test compared with pre-test in the following parameters: MVV (178.0±21.5 vs 141.0±30.4 l/min, P<0.001), FEV1 (4.7±0.5 vs 4.0±0.5 L, P<0.001), FVC (5.0±0.7 vs 4.4±0.6 L, P<0.001), and FEV1/FVC (0.95±0.05 vs 0.92±0.07 L, P<0.001).

It can be concluded that DNS breathing exercise is an effective protocol to significantly improve respiratory function. Moreover, it can be deduced that DNS breathing exercise with a focus on the Integrated Spinal Stabilizing System (ISSS) and breathing techniques can serve as an effective instructive approach to prevent risks of malalignment.