Relation of Bed-Lying Position to Breathing Form

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to observe the relation of the bed-lying position to the ratio of the costal respiration and abdominal respiration which was being of sufficient and perfect condition of ventilation.
The method : For each bed-lying position, the amplitude of respiratoion curve on chest wall and abdominal wall, the rate of puls and respiration, and the volume of minutes ventilation were measured. The experiments were performedby horizontal lying on back position, semi Fowlor' position (raised the trunk on angle of 30 degrees), and the sitting position, setting by the gagdet bed, as objects of 9 healthy nurses with the age of 28 to 31 years.
The results were as follows:
1) Regarding the ration of cost-abdominal respirations, slight predominance of the abdominal respiration by the horizontal position was observed, whereas by the sitting position the preminance was the costal respiration.
2) Changing into the 30° semi fowlor's position the abdominal respiration was remarkably predominant : from the horizontal position, there was almost same of the respiration by the horizontal position.
3) Changing the position from sitting to horizontal was more predominant of abdominal respiration than keeping the horizontal position.