Influence of Kiphosis Posture on Cardiopulmonary Response and Exercise Tolerance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of kiphosis posture on cardiopulmonary response and exercise tolerance. Exercise testing was carried out under two conditions: kiphosis posture and natural posture. Kiphosis posture was that to which kiphosis patients are susceptible. That is trunk alignment changes with change of muscle contraction type. The subject were nine healty young females. In kiphosis posture and natural posture, we measured subjects' pulmonary function, mobility of thorax, respiratory response, blood pressure and rating of perceived exertion during graded exercise testing. In the kiphosis posture trial, oxygen pulse (O2pulse), tidal volume (TV), and oxygen consumption (VO2and VO2/kg) were significantly higher than in the natural posture trial at rest (p<0.05), but conversely VO2and VO2/kg were lower at peak exercise (p<0.05). Most parameters rose during exercise (p<0.05). However diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and rate pressure product (RPP) did not change in the natural posture trial, whereas they increased significantly in the kiphosis posture trial (p<0.01). From these results, we speculate that in kiphosis posture oxygen demand is increased at rest and thus disadvantages aerobic metabolism during exercise. Hence we consider that improvement of kiphosis posture would be effective for prevention of exercise tolerance deterioration. © 2003, The Society of Physical Therapy Science. All rights reserved.