Effect of Adding Diaphragmatic Breathing to Corrective Exercises for Postmenopausal Women with Kyphosis: Clinical Trial Results
Overview
Age-related thoracic kyphosis can impact posture, diaphragmatic function, and quality of life for postmenopausal women.
Methods
40 postmenopausal women with thoracic kyphosis were split into two groups. Group A received corrective exercises for 12 weeks, while Group B received both diaphragmatic breathing exercises and corrective exercises for the same duration.
Results
Both groups showed significant improvement in posture, thoracic pain, and quality of life. Group B, however, showed significantly greater enhancement in diaphragmatic function compared to Group A.
Conclusions
A 12-week program of corrective exercises or combined with diaphragmatic breathing exercises significantly improved kyphosis angle, thoracic pain, and quality of life in postmenopausal women. The addition of diaphragmatic breathing exercises provided further benefits by increasing diaphragmatic function to a greater degree compared with corrective exercises alone.
Value of Clinical Trials
Clinical trials like this help to develop safe and effective treatments, with findings that can be integrated into everyday medical practice, utilizing platforms like DocSym, which consolidate standards, protocols, and research into an accessible knowledge base for clinicians.
