NCT05480618

Slow Yogic-Derived Breathing and Respiration and Cardiovascular Variability in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

Effect of Slow Breathing and Yogic-Derived Breathing on Respiration and Cardiovascular Variability in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research will aid in understanding of slow-breathing and its effect on heart rate and blood pressure in people with a spinal cord injury (SCI). This research will investigate if traditional 'yogic' breathing exercises can be performed by subjects with SCI and its influence on the cardiovascular system.

Detailed description

The relationship between respiratory patterns and cardiovascular variability in healthy persons has been previously studied. However, the impact of SCI on the interrelationships between the respiratory and cardiovascular systems remains relatively unstudied. The loss of autonomic control in SCI may mean that slow breathing has profound effects on cardiovascular variability. Hence, those with SCI may represent a population that could benefit from the potential physiologic effects of numerous yogic-based breathing patterns that can be applied anywhere any time. Hence, it is important to determine if slower breathing patterns can shift the cardiovascular control pattern to-wards important healthful effects. This physiological study will compare the effects of uncontrolled breathing and traditional yogic slow-breathing practices on cardiovascular variability in SCI patients.

Conditions

• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Slow Breathing

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Slow Breathing	On two separate visits (on Day 1 and between Day 7 and 9 of their self-practice) the subject will be coached on yoga breathing techniques. The breathing techniques will be varied in: 1. frequency (between 0.25 and 0.1 Hz) 2. Inspiratory:Expiratory (I:E) ratio or 'Duty Cycle' 3. with and without ujjayi (yogic throat restriction) 4. with and without inspiratory/expiratory breath holding At the end of the first coaching visit the subject will be given a diary to record their own practice of the breathing techniques they were coached on.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-08-22
• Primary completion: 2024-01-20
• Completion: 2024-01-31
• First posted: 2022-07-29
• Last updated: 2023-04-11

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States