Mouth Breathing Syndrome: Cervical muscles recruitment during nasal inspiration before and after respiratory and postural exercises on Swiss Ball

SummaryObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the recruitment of cervical muscles during nasal inspiration before and after breathing and postural exercises on the Swiss Ball in children with Mouth Breathing Syndrome (MBS).MethodSurface electromyography from the sternocleidomastoid (SCM), sub-occipitals and upper Trapezius muscles was recorded during nasal inspiration, before and at the end of three months of the treatment. A physical therapy program consisting in muscular stretching and strengthening exercises along with naso-diaphragmatic breathing on the Swiss Ball were carried out for body posture realignment and respiratory training. Nineteen mouth breathing children, mean age of 10.6 years, both genres, were the subjects of this study. In order to establish a comparison between the eletromyographic results (normalized values) obtained from pre and post-physical therapy program it was used the Wilcoxon non-parametric test for dependent data.ResultsIt was found a significant decrease (p < 0.01) in the electromyographic activity during nasal inspiration in all tested muscles after treatment (11.3–3.6% in the SCM, 22.4–11.7% in the sub-occipitals and 8.9–3.1% in the upper Trapezius). At the end of the treatment, the assessed muscles reached lower activity electromyographic levels during nasal inspiration and they became closer of those in the quiet position.ConclusionThe lower activity after the physical therapy program in these muscles indicates a less effort of the accessory inspiratory muscles, probably due to a better performance of diaphragm muscle with the improvement of the body posture.