Effect of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics on chest expansion and peak expiratory flow rate among sawmill workers

Introduction: Sawmill workers are subjected to high levels of wood dust, which can significantly impair lung function. Many studies have found restrictive abnormalities associated with decreased breathing muscle strength and chest expansion. Respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics (RMSG) has been proposed as an additional form of rehabilitation for patients suffering from respiratory diseases. RMSG is intended to reduce chest wall stiffness, particularly in the respiratory muscles of the chest wall. Objective: The objective of this study was to look into the impact of RMSG on chest expansion and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) in sawmill workers. Methodology: Fifty randomly selected sawmill workers aged 30–50 years in Chidambaram town were given RMSG training twice daily, four times each of five patterns for 4 weeks. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the subjects. Height, weight, and chest measurements were all part of the physical examination. Before and after training, the physiological parameter PEFR was measured. The extent of chest expansion was the primary outcome measure. Data Analysis and Outcomes: The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 was used to evaluate and analyze the data, with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. The dependent t-test revealed a significant difference in chest expansion between pre- and posttraining (2.441.11) and (3.780.616) with a P = 0.001. At P = 0.001, there was also a statistically significant difference in the mean values of PEFR (341.80 77.13) and (479.8058.24). Conclusion: The study found that RMSG training improves chest expansion and pulmonary function (PEFR). According to the findings, RMSG is a simple, safe, and effective technique for increasing the overall functional capacity of sawmill workers. Our study clearly demarcates the difference in an angle that 40° or 45° recumbency is useful. With not much literature in such workers, we can say that this study is one of the early works in this field.