Lung function in para-swimmers with spinal cord injury in Cali-Colombia. Case series

Pulmonary function in para-swimmers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe some characteristics of pulmonary function in four para-swimmers with spinal cord injury from Cali-Colombia. Four paraswimmers with spinal cord injury of any neurological level who signed the informed consent form were included. Sociodemographic, clinical, athletic, anthropometric, functional independence and pulmonary function by spirometry and thoracic mobility by cirtometry data were collected. The results show four patients between 26 and 42 years old, with neurological levels between T2-T4 and T10-T11. None of the cases had a history of respiratory diseases before or after the injury, two of the cases had a history of smoking. The cases had been practicing the sport for between three and twelve months, all with normal weight according to BMI; with mild dependence according to the Barthel Index. In addition, they presented FEV1/FVC values between 83 % and 93 % of predicted value. The best thoracic mobility was between 1.5 and 5.6 cm at the axillary level and between 1.5 and 2.5 cm at the xiphoid level. It is concluded that the subjects had no changes in pulmonary function, that the athletes with a history of smoking and a higher level of injury presented a decrease in thoracic mobility, and that training in water can provide benefits at the pulmonary level.