척수손상환자들에게 호흡기계 합병증의 발생률과 이로 인한 사망률은 여전히 높은 비율을 차지하고 있으며, 이 중 폐렴이 가장 주요한 사망의 원인이 되고 있다. 본 연구는 남자 경수손상환자들에게 들숨근 강화를 목적으로 한 호흡운동이 호흡기능 및 삶의 질 향상에 어떤 영향을 미치는지 알아보기 위해 실시되었다. 연구대상은 마비수준 C4-C6의 아급성, 만성 경수손상 환자 중 현재 흡연을 하지 않는 남자 환자 17명이었으며, 주 3회, 총 6주간 들숨근 강화훈련을 실시하였다. 훈련 전후에 호흡곤란척도와 삶의 질을 자가측정 하였다. 연구 결과 호흡기능변화는 만성군에서만 유의한 감소(p<0.01)가 있었다. 삶의 질 변화에서는 아급성군은 VT(활력)에만 유의한 향상(p<0.05)이 있었고, 만성군은 GH(전반적인 건강상태), BP(통증), VT(활력)에서 유의한 향상(p<0.05, p<0.01)이 있었다. 본 연구에서는 들숨근 강화훈련이 호흡곤란을 경감시키고 삶의 질을 향상시켰다.
For patients suffering from spinal cord injuries, both of the possibility of having complications with the respiratory system and the related fatal rate are still high, while pneumonia is the most important cause of these fatalities. This research was carried out to find out what effects does a breathing exercise have on the respiratory functions and the improvement in the quality of life. The study was carried out for male patients suffering cervical spinal cord injuries for the purpose of inspiratory muscle strengthening. The objects of the study were 17 non-smoking-at-present male patients with C4 to C6 cervical spinal cord injuries. They had practiced inspiratory muscle strengthening training for three times a week for six weeks. The quality of life and the dyspnea (breathing difficulty) were self-measured before and after the training. As a result, the change in respiratory function was only significantly reduced (p<0.01) within the chronic group. In terms of the changes in the quality of life, the sub-acute group has only seen a significant improvement (p<0.05) for the VT(vitality), while the chronic group has seen significant improvements(p<0.05, p<0.01) in: GH(general health); BP(back pain); and VT(vitality). In this research, the inspiratory muscle strengthening has reduced the dyspnea (breathing difficulties) and improved the quality of life.
