Ruddy, Bari H.; Davenport, Paul; Baylor, Jeffrey; Lehman, Jeffrey;
Baker, Susan; Sapienza, Christine. Inspiratory muscle strength training
with behavioral therapy in a case of a rower with presumed
exercide-induced paradoxical vocal-fold dysfunction. International
Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. 68: 1327-1332; 2004.
Case study of effects of a 6-week intervention of inspiratory muscle
strength training (IMST) on a 15-year-old male rower with paradoxical
vocal-fold dysfunction (PVFD). With exercise, PVFD causes problems with
ventilation, dyspnea, wheezing, and elevated heart rate. The subject
was an active rower who used an IMST device consisting of a mouth piece
with a one-way spring-loaded valve used to create resistance to flow.
After obtaining a baseline maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP)
measurement the device was set at 80% MIP for the training breaths.
Training took place five days per week with a total of 25 breaths per
day. At the conclusion of the six-week intervention, the subject
significantly increased his MIP and rowing duration on an ergometer.
His dyspnea ratings were significantly reduced. The program was
successful for the patient largely due to a combination of the
exercises and a re-patterning of the subject's breathing patterns.