Yoga – ABC CARDIOL

IJCS

Editorial

Breathing and Cardiovascular Patterns: What can we Learn from Respiratory Exercises?

In the current issue of the International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences, Fetter and colleagues found that respiratory movements of the abdominal cavity and rib cage, evaluated by circumferences measurements, were higher in Yoga practitioners than in an age-matched sedentary group. Also, the study confirmed that Yoga practitioners showed higher maximal expiratory strength and lower heart rate at rest than non-practitioners.

Yoga has been recommended as a non-pharmacological therapy to control cardiovascular risk factors. Respiratory exercises are part of the Yoga program that includes abdominal and rib cage expansion by rhythmic movements.^– It was demonstrated that four months of Yoga respiratory training improved inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength, forced vital capacity and quality of life in healthy elderly. Another study demostrated that Yoga influenced cardiorespiratory control, affecting the resting sympatho-vagal balance, with a shift from vagal to sympathetic predominance, reflecting a sympathetic withdrawal. Several disease subsets are marked by autonomic dysfunction characterized by sympathetic overactivity at rest, and in this context, respiratory exercises such as Yoga may be a potential countermeasure.

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IJCS

Brief Communication

Increased Maximal Expiratory Pressure, Abdominal and Thoracic Respiratory Expansibility in Healthy Yoga Practitioners Compared to Healthy Sedentary Individuals

Cláudia Fetter et al. Liliane Appratto de Souza Daniela Ravizzoni Dartora Andressa Schein … Bruna Eibel Karina Casali Maria Cláudia Irigoyen

Abstract

Background

Increasing thoracic expansion is effective at reducing blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Yoga prescribes many respiratory techniques with a growing number of practitioners. However, very little is known whether sedentary or yoga practitioners show measurable differences in their respiratory patterns.

Objective

This study aims to demonstrate differences between healthy sedentary individuals and healthy yoga practitioners regarding maximal respiratory pressures and thoracic and abdominal respiratory expansibility.

Methods

Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP, respectively) were evaluated by manovacuometry, while respiratory expansion was assessed by the cirtometry of abdominal (CA), thoracic xiphoidal (CTX), and thoracic axillary (CTA) circumferences at rest (end expiratory moment) and at full inspiration in healthy sedentary individuals (SED) and yoga practitioners (YOGA). A delta derived from rest and full inspiration measures (ΔCA, ΔCTX, and ΔCTA, respectively), followed by a percentage of each item (ΔCA/CA, ΔCTX/CTX, and ΔCTA/CTA) was then calculated. Groups were compared by means of an unpaired Student’s t-test, with a significance level p < 0.05.

Results

All respiratory expansion measures were significantly higher in in the YOGA group. A significantly higher MEP (cmH₂O) was also detected in yoga practitioners: SED 89.3 ± 19.3 and YOGA 114.7 ± 24.8 ( p = 0.007), along with decreased heart rate at rest (bpm): SED 84±6 and YOGA 74±15 ( p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Yoga practitioners have shown greater thoracic and abdominal expansion and increased MEP, when compared to healthy sedentary individuals, as well as significantly lower heart rates at rest and body mass index (BMI). However, whether or not these findings are related to respiratory patterns is uncertain.