About a month ago, I decided to try something new while taking my PFT's at the hospital. I sit in a chair and have the mouth piece suspended attached to a machine so my hands are free.
Upon exhalation, I have my hands on the outer parts of my knees and when the Pulmonary Tech says *Blow* I exhale hard and fast while pushing my legs together with my hands. I keep my feet firmly planted on the floor rather firmly while exerting force. I am creating an exercise like using the thigh master.
What is happening is I feel like my hands on my knees act like hands around my chest. Try to do what I am describing and you will feel tension around your chest wall. I feel like I have hands around my chest helping me force out the air faster with more exertion. Almost like using a pillow when you need to cough after surgery but much more effective.
Every time I do this at my center, my numbers get slightly higher. When I did the normal technique with hands by my side and relaxed, my numbers are slightly lower.
I would say you would improve around five percent. Since I am a transplant patient it is hard for me to tell you for sure but you will improve if you do it this way.
If you do decide to try this test, try and stretch out your arms and back because when you exhale and push your legs together you might get sore the next day because you use a lot of exertion.
Please let me know if this works for you because if it does, I would like to send in my story to a Respiratory magazine and include two other patients.
It is also a good way to make everyone around you smile and laugh because not only does it work but you get better results.
IT helped me one day when I did not sleep well. The technique acts like a brace with added support to help you breathe out with more force.
Mike the Pulmonary Technician at Jackson Memorial Hospital calls it the Risanator technique
Now if you can do this and get better numbers, please let me know.
I suggest you using this method every time if it works for you because you will have a new baseline.
It is cheating? I do not think so. First of all the chairs and the way one is positioned in those crazy boxes are very uncomfortable. I am tall so it is harder for me. If you can find a more comfortable and effective method that works why not use it each time.
Upon exhalation, I have my hands on the outer parts of my knees and when the Pulmonary Tech says *Blow* I exhale hard and fast while pushing my legs together with my hands. I keep my feet firmly planted on the floor rather firmly while exerting force. I am creating an exercise like using the thigh master.
What is happening is I feel like my hands on my knees act like hands around my chest. Try to do what I am describing and you will feel tension around your chest wall. I feel like I have hands around my chest helping me force out the air faster with more exertion. Almost like using a pillow when you need to cough after surgery but much more effective.
Every time I do this at my center, my numbers get slightly higher. When I did the normal technique with hands by my side and relaxed, my numbers are slightly lower.
I would say you would improve around five percent. Since I am a transplant patient it is hard for me to tell you for sure but you will improve if you do it this way.
If you do decide to try this test, try and stretch out your arms and back because when you exhale and push your legs together you might get sore the next day because you use a lot of exertion.
Please let me know if this works for you because if it does, I would like to send in my story to a Respiratory magazine and include two other patients.
It is also a good way to make everyone around you smile and laugh because not only does it work but you get better results.
IT helped me one day when I did not sleep well. The technique acts like a brace with added support to help you breathe out with more force.
Mike the Pulmonary Technician at Jackson Memorial Hospital calls it the Risanator technique
Now if you can do this and get better numbers, please let me know.
I suggest you using this method every time if it works for you because you will have a new baseline.
It is cheating? I do not think so. First of all the chairs and the way one is positioned in those crazy boxes are very uncomfortable. I am tall so it is harder for me. If you can find a more comfortable and effective method that works why not use it each time.