Comparison Of Effect Of Pilates Breathing Exercise And Abdominal Breathing Exercise On Chest Mobility And Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Smokers – A Comparative Study

Background-Smoking negatively impacts respiratory function, leading to reduced chest expansion and diminished cardiorespiratory endurance. Pilates and diaphragmatic both breathing exercises are non-invasive and cost-effective interventions that can play a crucial role in respiratory rehabilitation, while Pilates places a strong emphasis on the lateral (side-to-side) expansion of the rib cage during breathing. Objective-This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Pilates breathing exercises and diaphragmatic breathing exercises on chest expansion and cardiorespiratory fitness in smokers. Methodology-A total of 88 participants were divided into two groups: Group A practiced Pilates breathing, and Group B practiced diaphragmatic breathing along with pursed-lip breathing. The interventions were performed over a period of 12 weeks (4 days/week), and outcomes were assessed using chest expansion measurements at axillary, xiphoid, and nipple levels, along with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) for cardiorespiratory endurance. Result-Both groups showed significant improvement in chest expansion and cardiorespiratory fitness. However, Group A demonstrated greater enhancement in chest expansion and the 6-minute walk test. Conclusion- The present study showed that both groups, that is, group A (Pilates breathing exercise) and group B (diaphragmatic breathing), have improvement in their chest expansion and better results on the 6-minute walk test. So we conclude that using Pilates breathing is an effective, simple, and affordable way to improve respiratory health and endurance in young smokers.