| Objective: To investigate the effect of virtual reality breathing training technology on diaphragm function in patients with cervical spinal cord injury. Methods: A total of 57 patients with cervical spinal cord injury were randomly divided into treatment group (n=28) and control group (n=29) according to the order of visit. Patients in the two groups were given routine respiratory function training (cough training, lip contracting breathing, abdominal breathing, sandbag compression resistance training), and the treatment group was given virtual reality respiratory function training additionally. The changes of diaphragmatic muscle thickness, thickening rate, mobility, phrenic nerve conduction velocity and amplitude were observed before and after 6 weeks of treatment. Results: After 6 weeks of treatment, the thickening rate and diaphragm mobility in the treatment group were significantly increased as compared with those before treatment (both P＜0.05), and those in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P≤0.05 ). The bilateral amplitudes of the two groups were significantly higher than before treatment (all P＜0.01), and those of the treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (all P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the speed of bilateral phrenic nerve transmission between the two groups. Conclusion: Virtual reality breathing training can effectively improve the diaphragmatic muscle thickening rate and mobility, and improve the diaphragmatic electromyography amplitude in patients with cervical spinal cord injury. |
