Effect of adding diaphragmatic breathing to corrective exercises on kyphotic angle and diaphragmatic excursion in postmenopausal kyphotic women: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Age-related thoracic kyphosis can impair posture, diaphragmatic excursion, respiratory function, and overall quality of life (QoL).

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of corrective exercises alone versus combined with diaphragmatic breathing exercises on thoracic kyphosis, diaphragmatic excursion, thoracic pain, and QoL in postmenopausal kyphotic women.

Methods: Forty postmenopausal women diagnosed with thoracic kyphosis were randomly divided into two groups. Group A received corrective exercises for 12 weeks (n = 20), while Group B received both diaphragmatic breathing exercises and corrective exercises for the same duration (n = 20). Primary outcome measures were thoracic kyphosis angle and diaphragmatic excursion, while secondary outcome measures were thoracic pain and QoL. Both groups were assessed pre- and post-intervention using a flexible curve ruler for the thoracic kyphosis angle, ultrasonography for the diaphragmatic excursion, the visual analog scale for thoracic pain, and the Arabic version of the QoL Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis for QoL.

Results: Both groups showed significant within-group improvements in all measures post-intervention (p < 0.05). Between-group comparisons post-intervention revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) except for diaphragmatic excursion, where Group B showed significantly greater improvement (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: A 12-week program of corrective exercises alone or combined with diaphragmatic breathing exercises significantly improved kyphosis angle, thoracic pain, and QoL in postmenopausal kyphotic women. The addition of diaphragmatic breathing exercises provided further benefits by increasing diaphragmatic excursion to a greater degree compared with corrective exercises alone.