The ‘Tennis-Ball’ as a Therapeutic Strategy for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common problem which is more frequently seen in men than in women. It is associated with heavy snoring, cessation of breathing, destruction of the sleep architecture and results in burdensome daytime somnolence. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) is the widely accepted and practiced therapy but is often not tolerated by patients. Therefore, in less severe cases a physiotherapeutic attempt, avoiding the body lying on the back (i.e. by a tennis-ball in the pyjama), can be an effective treatment.