Effectiveness of chest pnf and breathing exercises on lung function and chest expansion in chain smokers

Background: Cigarettes constitutes various harmful substances like Nicotine which leads to diseases like COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), atherosclerosis, and other respiratory and cardiopulmonary disease. This may leads to wheezing, frequent coughing with or without sputum, increased breathlessness and reduced endurance of respiratory muscles. The main objective of the study is to identify more significant effect of Chest proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and Breathing Exercises on pulmonary function and chest expansion in male Smokers. Method: This comparative study was executed on 50 subjects based on the criteria of the study, which were randomly divided into Group A & B. Subjects in Group A received chest proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation technique but subjects in Group B received breathing exercises for 2 weeks. Pulmonary functions were assessed by Spirometry and chest expansion was measured at axillary level, nipple level and Xiphisternum level by measuring tape. All measurements were taken at the baseline and on the last day of 2nd week. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used to analyse the data. Conclusion: More significant improvement in terms of lung functions and Chest expansion was observed in group A who received chest proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation in contrast to group B that received breathing exercises.