IJPR.2025.166
Type of Article: Original Research
Volume 13; Issue 5 (December 2025)
Page No.: 4947-4953
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijpr.2025.166
Effectiveness of Abdominal Muscle Exercises on Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in Normal Healthy Female Individuals
Gutha Rathnam Naidu Rajeswariri 1, Govindaraj Revathi 2, Elukuru Asha Jyothi 3, Karunanithi Sathiya seelan *4.
1 B.PT, Intern, PES College of Physiotherapy, Kuppam, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
2 Assistant Professor, PES College of Physiotherapy, Kuppam, chittoor district Andhra Pradesh, India.
3 Assistant Professor, PES College of Physiotherapy, Kuppam, chittoor district Andhra Pradesh, India.
*4 Vice Principal and Professor of Physiotherapy, PES College of Physiotherapy, Kuppam, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Corresponding author: Dr. Karunanithi Sathiya Seelan. Vice Principal and Professor in Physiotherapy, PES College of Physiotherapy, Kuppam, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh 517425, India. E-Mail: seelank.phsio@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Background: The major expiratory muscles are the abdominal muscles and play an important role in ventilation. The lungs and respiratory system allow us to breathe. They bring oxygen into our bodies (called inspiration, or inhalation) and send carbon dioxide out (called expiration, or exhalation) Expiration is a passive process and it achieved through the elastic recoil of the lung. During forceful expiration, the abdominal muscles are used. They may get weak due to nerve involvement, disuse atrophy, stretch weakness due to parity, diastasis recti etc. In females, Pregnancy and post- natal muscle weakness, successive pregnancies are factors that compromise abdominal muscle strength and endurance.
Objective: To find the effectiveness of abdominal strengthening exercises for improving peak expiratory flow rate abdominal muscle endurance.
Methods: In this study, 30 subjects (Age 18- 25 years) were selected based on inclusion criteria by simple random sampling method and by having fair abdominal muscle endurance (ACSM abdominal curl up test) were taken. After obtaining the consent of subjects, they were allotted in single group and were given the intervention for 4 weeks. Peak expiratory flow rate and abdominal muscle endurance was measured before and after the exercise program. Peak flow meter was the tool used to evaluate peak expiratory flow rate.
Result: t test was used for data analysis. The mean difference and standard deviation of Peak expiratory flow rate for the group A was 241.173± 42.643 for pre-test and 254.887 ± 41.856 for post-test. The mean difference and standard deviation of Abdominal curl up test for the group B was 9.63 ±03.12 for pre-test and 13.90 ±3.07 for post-test The intragroup analysis of the group showed that Abdominal muscle exercise was extremely statistically significant difference with p≤0.05 (p=0.0001).
Conclusion: In this study it showed that there is statistically improvement in peak expiratory flow rate and abdominal muscle endurance after 4 weeks of abdominal muscle exercises in healthy females. There is significant difference in pretest and post-test measurement.
Key words: Peak Expiratory Flow Rate, Abdominal Muscle Endurance, Abdominal Muscle Exercise.
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