Re: The Breath - Are there Gender Differences?

[Guest guest]

>

> I have been thoroughly enjoying the information from this group. I

> am a Pilates instructor with a medical and sports science

> background and work as a remedial sports masseur. In the past have

> been an extremely active sports woman involved in many different

> sports at a reasonable level. However the past 3 years my training

> involves Ashtanga and Hatha yoga, hiking and moderate cycling. My

> body is as strong, more balanced, far more flexible and back pain

> non-existent now. There are many reasons for this but I am

> exploring the effects of the breath and would be most interested to

> explore knowledge available on aspects of breathing and gender

> differences.

> What, if any, are the diferences between men and women's breathing

> and mechanisms.

> What are the results of positive and negative breathing patterns on

> men and women, physically and mentally. This may be in hormone

> levels, activity levels, blood quality,etc and effecting levels of

> calm, anxiety, mental clarity and sense of self.

***The following information may be relevant:

Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing is essential in identifying

mechanisms of exercise limitation (heart, lungs, blood, and/or

skeletal muscles) and in identifying early disease (Weisman and

Zeballos, 2002).

Numerous data are collected from cardio-pulmonary exercise testing;

breath by breath inspired O2 (litres/min; VO2), expired CO2

production (litres/min; VCO2) and ventilatory tidal volume and rate

are monitored to give minute ventilation (VE) (Hayward et al.,

1995). In fact, different diseases / problems affect gas exchange in

different ways; consequently, the gas exchange results can be used to

ascertain pathophysiology and aid or disprove the correctness of a

specific clinical diagnosis (Wasserman et al., 1999). For example,

according to Wasserman et al. (1999) the pathophysiology for a

patient suffering from peripheral arterial disease prevents normal

vasodilatation and exercise hypertension. The primary limitation is

impaired O2 supply and increased cardiac work.

Hayward, M.P., Cumming, D.V.E., Pattison, C.W. (1995). Physiology

and clinical applications of cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 53(6), 275-282.

Wasserman, K., Hansen, J., Sue, D., Casaburi, R., Whipp, B. (1999).

Principles of Exercise Testing and Interpretation. Third edition,

Human Kinetics.

Weisman IM, Zeballos RJ. (1992). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing the

need for standardization. Pulmonary Perspectives, (ACCP), 9, 5-8.

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***How would you determine whether an individual has a positive or

negative breathing pattern?

Thanks in advance

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK