Effect of diaphragmatic guidance and abdominal breathing on blood oxygen saturation and heart rate of personnel on the plateau
ZHAO Meihui1,2, ZHANG Haipai3, GUAN Ling1
1. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion,Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Sixth Medical Center,PLA General Hospital,Beijing 100853,China; 2. Department of Rehabilitation Physiotherapy,Strategic Support Force Specialized Medical Center,Beijing 100101,China; 3. Department of traditional Chinese medicine,Strategic Support Force Xingcheng Specialized Sanatorium,Huludao 125105,China
Abstract：Objective To investigate the effects of diaphragmatic guidance and abdominal breathing on blood oxygen saturation and heart rate of personnel on the plateau and to find a more efficient breathing method for them. Methods Fifty personnel working on the plateau were randomly selected, who had been stationed on the plateau at an altitude of 4000 m for more than one month but less than three months. The cross-control study method was used. Doctors subjected each of them to diaphragmatic guidance training and abdominal breathing training, and measured their blood oxygen saturation and heart rate before training and 5 minutes after training respectively. Results At an altitude of 4000 m, blood oxygen saturation of the subjects increased from (83.34±3.04)% to (94.08±2.24)% after diaphragmatic guidance training, so the difference was statistically significant (t=-27.569, P<0.01), but the heart rate of the subjects decreased from (85.02±12.75) times/min to (76.56±10.78) times/min, and the difference was also statistically significant (t=8.615, P<0.01). After abdominal breathing training, blood oxygen saturation of the subjects increased from 83.72%±3.27% to 90.55%±3.62%, so the difference was statistically significant (t=-14.700, P<0.01). The heart rate of the subjects decreased from (84.80±12.84) times/min to (76.08±11.24) times/min, and the difference was statistically significant (t=9.049, P<0.01). Blood oxygen saturation improved more significantly after diaphragmatic guidance training than after abdominal breathing training, and the difference was statistically significant (t=-6.455, P<0.01), but there was no significant difference in the extent of improvement of heart rate between the two types of training (t=-0.182,P=0.856). Conclusions In a plateau environment, both diaphragmatic guidance training and abdominal training can improve blood oxygen saturation and heart rate, but diaphragmatic guidance training can improve blood oxygen saturation more effectively than abdominal breathing training.
2022, Vol. 33 
