Simultaneous measurement of maximum respiratory pressures and respiratory muscle electromyography in a stroke patient changes after implemented physiotherapy preliminary case report

Introduction: In subject-based literature, there are no studies in which the results obtained simultaneously from surface electromyography of respiratory muscles and measurements of maximal respiratory pressures in stroke patients would be analysed. Research objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of physiotherapy with breathing exercises in a subject with stroke-induced hemiplegia. Material and methods: In this pilot study, we presented a 36-year-old female with a medical history of haemorrhagic stroke in the left hemisphere, and with right-sided hemiparesis 76 months prior to research. The patient underwent 5, 60-minute individual physiotherapy sessions with general fitness training and breathing exercises for 1-week, with pre- and post-intervention outcome measures including functional assessment, respiratory pressure measurements using spirometer together with the electromyographic assessment of the respiratory muscles. Results: After implementing the physiotherapy with breathing exercises, equalisation of EMG activity and proper muscle recruitment during forced inhalation and exhalation have been demonstrated. The subject increased maximal expiratory and inspiratory pressures: (69.3% to 95.8% and 79.5% to 100.1% of predicted values, respectively). Conclusion: The results from this pilot study allow to indicate that the use of physiotherapy with breathing pattern correction may have positive impact on pulmonary function in a chronic stroke patient.