The Effects of Progressive Relaxation and Myoelectric Feedback on Respiratory Resistance in Bronchial Asthmatics
type: CreativeWork
description: For the individual with bronchial asthma, an asthmatic attack can be a life threatening experience. A theory of bronchial asthma as a conditioned response has been recently proposed by several investigators. It was suggested that this conditioned response may be modified by lowering the arousal level, and as a result, decreasing the asthmatic response. The problem identified in this exploratory study was to measure the effects of relaxation on the smaller or peripheral airways of a convenience sample of six asthmatic subjects fourteen to seventy years of age. It was hypothesized that an increased degree of total body relaxation would result in a decrease in airway resistance as would be evidenced by the changes in certain pulmonary function tests performed. The six asthmatic subjects participated in the study after referrals by their physicians. At a pre-study session the subjects were introduced to the objectives of the study. Identifying information was recorded, and after the base line physiological measurements were taken, details of the relaxation training program were explained to each subject. The base line measurements consisted of the subjects’ tension levels recorded with an electromyograph, with the surface electrodes on the skin over the frontalis muscle. The base line also consisted of the following pulmonary function tests: closing capacity and closing volume, forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity, maximal mid-expiratory flow rate, residual volume and total lung capacity. The subjects were introduced to the intervention of purposeful relaxation training using an electromyograph biofeedback unit. They were to practice the relaxation exercises at home at least twice each day of the four week study. Each of the six subjects attended eight relaxation training sessions using the biofeedback techniques. The investigator was present at all of the laboratory sessions, and recorded integrated electromyographic values during two-minute periods. Each of…
abstract: For the individual with bronchial asthma, an asthmatic attack can be a life threatening experience. A theory of bronchial asthma as a conditioned response has been recently proposed by several investigators. It was suggested that this conditioned response may be modified by lowering the arousal level, and as a result, decreasing the asthmatic response. The problem identified in this exploratory study was to measure the effects of relaxation on the smaller or peripheral airways of a convenience sample of six asthmatic subjects fourteen to seventy years of age. It was hypothesized that an increased degree of total body relaxation would result in a decrease in airway resistance as would be evidenced by the changes in certain pulmonary function tests performed. The six asthmatic subjects participated in the study after referrals by their physicians. At a pre-study session the subjects were introduced to the objectives of the study. Identifying information was recorded, and after the base line physiological measurements were taken, details of the relaxation training program were explained to each subject. The base line measurements consisted of the subjects’ tension levels recorded with an electromyograph, with the surface electrodes on the skin over the frontalis muscle. The base line also consisted of the following pulmonary function tests: closing capacity and closing volume, forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity, maximal mid-expiratory flow rate, residual volume and total lung capacity. The subjects were introduced to the intervention of purposeful relaxation training using an electromyograph biofeedback unit. They were to practice the relaxation exercises at home at least twice each day of the four week study. Each of the six subjects attended eight relaxation training sessions using the biofeedback techniques. The investigator was present at all of the laboratory sessions, and recorded integrated electromyographic values during two-minute periods. Each of…
author: Shah, Daphne Browne
language: English
keywords: Nursing, Pulmonology, Asthma; Relaxation; Biofeedback (Psychology)
date published: 1974-11-01T08:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:53:37Z
provider: Loma Linda University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Loma Linda University