2022 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 410-417
We have been interested in a posture with the Arm-supported Forward-leaning Position (Arm-FP) during defecation. Variations in posture which are both clinically comfortable and facilitate breathing have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in postures between Forward-leaning Position (FP) and Arm-FP. To achieve this, the indices of posture and the respiratory movements were compared to clarify the comfort of Arm-FP. The subjects were 19 healthy young adult males. Two postures were compared for forward tilt angle (spine, trunk, pelvis, and thigh), buttocks height and loading rate, thoracic kyphosis index, and amount of change in chest wall movement at deep breathing (upper, lower thoracic, and abdominal ventilation volumes). A three-dimensional motion analysis system incorporating four force plates was used. A surface electromyography system was also used to measure the trunk muscle activity. As a result, Arm-FP showed significantly higher values than FP in buttock height, upper thoracic inspiratory volume, lower thoracic expiratory volume, and abdominal tidal volume. Arm-FP showed significantly lower values than EP in forward tilt angles (upper spine, trunk, pelvis), thoracic kyphosis index, buttock loading rate, and the abdominal trunk muscle activity. It was suggested that Arm-FP is a posture that reduces the spine kyphosis and improves respiratory movement by improving arm support.
