Concurrent respiratory resistance training and changes in respiratory muscle strength and sleep in an individual with spinal cord injury: case report

This case report explores how respiratory muscle training (RMT) affects sleep quality in a person with a spinal cord injury (SCI). SCI can weaken respiratory muscles, leading to poor sleep. The study examines if RMT can improve sleep quality, using polysomnography (PSG) to measure sleep patterns. A 38-year-old male with cervical SCI underwent 10 weeks of RMT. Before and after the training, his sleep was assessed using PSG, respiratory muscle strength tests, and a subjective sleepiness scale. Results showed improvements in sleep quality and reduced daytime sleepiness after RMT. The findings suggest that improving respiratory activity can positively impact EEG arousal activity during sleep. Reducing arousals leads to less fragmented sleep and better overall sleep quality, which can improve daytime function and reduce issues like excessive sleepiness.

• 1
  The subject experienced fewer electroencephalographic (EEG) arousals during sleep following the 10-week RMT program.
• 2
  Daytime sleepiness scores improved after the respiratory muscle training.
• 3
  Sleep efficiency increased from 91.8% to 96.6% after the RMT intervention.