The Impact of Respiratory Biofeedback on Anxiety Levels in Men with Incomplete Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

An investigation the effect of an Electromyography Respiratory Biofeedback (ERB) method on the anxiety level of male patients with incomplete cervuaical spinal cord injury (CSCI). 40 patients (men) were included in the study considering the inclusion criteria and randomly divided into two groups of 20 patients. The control group received 15 sessions of common respiratory physiotherapy (CRPT). In addition to 15 sessions of CRPT, the intervention group also received 15 sessions of ERB. Anxiety level was measured by the Zung questionnaire for both groups at three levels, before the beginning of the treatment, after the completion of the treatment and one month after the completion of the treatment sessions. The results were evaluated by SPSS software. The results of the repeated measure test showed that both CRPT and the addition of ERB can have statistically significant effects on the anxiety level of patients over time (p-value < 0.001). The emotional and physical subscales of the Zung questionnaire were also statistically significantly affected by the passage of time in both groups. The values related to the total score of the Zung questionnaire and its emotional and physical subscales, in the control group, increased again one month after the treatment sessions, while in the control group, these values continued to decrease. CRPT aimed at improving diaphragmatic breathing can reduce the anxiety level of patients with CSCI in the short term, and these positive effects may diminish over time. However, the addition of ERB appears to support the short-term maintenance of these therapeutic effects during the one-month follow-up.