The Frolov's respiration training device as a new type of breathing exercises

For the past many hundreds of years our view of the world has undergone considerable changes. The Books on history and medicine teem with information reflecting an unyielding concern of humankind for breathing, this tantalizing miracle of being, an indiscernible "thread of life". In accord with the level of knowledge various breathing ideas and theories were brewing in schools of science and philosophy, peculiar methods of breathing exercised were taking effect.

Breathing doctrine in philosophy and medicine.

Mythology and ancient philosophy.

Breathing is one of the most significant means of a permanent communication to the outer world. From the beginning the nature opposed the man as an entirely alien, almighty and obscure to the mind power. The need to study the nature with the purpose of adapting to various habitation conditions was evident the moment human being realized his involvement into the nature. Fear of the unconquerable and enigmatic nature brought about a passionate urge to succeed in studying it, to delve into the miracle of Life. Standpoints of the ancient philosophy ascribed personified life to the entire nature in general. Wind was thought to be the breath of God on the ground that the air motion in nature in the form of winds and hurricanes was likened to the air movement while breathing.

Looking at himself as a part of nature the man was noticing to his wonder the secretive, integral connection between the way he breathes and his health condition. The beginning of life, be it a human being or an animal, coincided with the beginning of breathing. The last sigh of a killed enemy or a dying fellow tribesman meant cessation of life. The state of sleeping was absolutely incomprehensible, for the air movement while breathing was the sole sign of life.

This enigmatic force, this part of "EGO" which is not subject to decay, at the moment of death leaving the body with the last breath, (and coming with the breathing at birth) found its reflection in the ideas on immortal sole and spirits. Holding breathing and soul to be identical the man was thus familiarizing himself with nature, with God, with His breathing, with His soul. As various legends and myths hold it, through which people tried to account for the secret of life appearance on the Earth, God created the man and made him alive with His breathing, actually inspiring life into him. This is how A.B. Tailor wrote on the conception of the idea of an elementary society man's personal soul and spirit. "Soul is a subtle non-substantial human image, in its nature is somewhat similar to vapour, air or shadow. It constitutes the cause of life and thought in a being it animates. It is capable of leaving the body and transiting quickly from one spot to another. Upper respiratory tracts were thought to be the passage way for spirits and a soul. These standpoints were actually reflected in spiritual acts. Assuredness in life-bringing sense of breathing brought about the appearance of magic methods of curative nature. Holding breathing to be the produce of soul our ancestors were certain that priests and participants of religious rites, while holding a ceremony, are empowered with the breath of particular, bewitching force that drives evil spirits off - the so-called "holiness". That lead to the custom of blowing onto a baby, water, oil.

In this way, in a man's conscience breathing was the attribute of life, both bodily and spiritual. This fact gains ground on the analysis of semantic units of a language, stating certain psychic and somatic phenomena, indivisible in an ancient man's way to think, in words, ideas, concepts, images.

Concept on proximity of soul and breathing can be traced back in Semitic and Aryan etymology and thus brought to the main origins of world philosophy. Jews use "nefesh", that is breathing, to signify "life, soul, the mind of an animal", while "ruakh" and "neshama" represent transition from "breathing" to "spirit". These expressions find correspondence in Arabic "nefs" and "rukh". The same can be found in Sanskrit words "atman" and "prana", Greek "psyche" and "pneuma", Latin "anima", "animus", "spiritus".

Along similar lines Slavonic "duch" transferred the concept "dykhanie/breathing" into the one of "dusha/soul or duch/sprit". The Ginger in their dialect have the same word "duk" with the meaning of "breathing, soul, life". It is quite evident that these expressions assert the unity of the breathing function, psychic processes and concepts of a soul. Issues of breathing, its bond to the psyche state, health condition, were further developed later on, at the various progress stages of philosophy and natural history.

Oriental Philosophy and Medicine on Breathing

The Oriental peoples' beliefs adorned breathing exercises with mystique. Best health improvement techniques of the Orient have always envisaged the alliance of spirituality with intellect, intellect with senses, senses with breathing, breathing with motion.

Here we give a general survey of some of these.

Buddhism is a system of world outlook and practices, which has as its end an individual's perfection, achieving the state of nirvana (a boundless freedom of the existence problems). The Buddha teaching as one of the means of nirvana achievement holds to be meditation (focus of thought, attention concentration). One of the meditative techniques of Buddhism is concentration on the respiratory process.

Daoism is one of the most marvelous philosophic doctrines in the history of the humankind. To the physical and spiritual perfection end the daos have worked out the procedures, respiratory exercises being a part of them. A citation from the 4th century tractate "Baoputsy": "A beginner breathes in the air though the nose, hold breath, counts up to 120 and breathes the air out through the mouth. Taking in and letting out of the air should be noiseless. A goose feather should be held to the nostrils and, upon reaching the skill level/condition when the feather does not tremble any more the first stage in the art of breathing may be deemed accomplished. At the next stage the count gradually increases to finally reach one thousand, the person practicing noticing that he does not grow older but younger". 'Kung-fu", "U-shu", "Tsiongshing", "Khikong" systems all include a chapter on breath control and government.

Ancient "Vedy" volumes, poems "Makhabkharata", "Ramayana", law code "Manu" and other sources give clues as to the origination of the yogi physical training methods. Vedy scripts and later Upanishada dive all the more attention to breathing as the central problem of existence equaling God: "Breathing in the middle truly is Indra". Manipulations with breathing facilitated the achievement of a religious ecstasy. A he complex respiration system of the yogi is based on the allegiance that there is the World Spirit energy in the water, in the air. The concept "prana" in the yogi doctrine signifies the vital energy, lack of which makes existence of a man impossible. The source of "EGO" is deemed to be the cosmic power. Acording to their views the "prana" is assimilated only at a full breathing through the nose. Respiratory exercises called pranayama were worked out to that effect. Pranayama is a teaching on the control over organs through prana, on conscious breathing steering which calls for the attention concentration on the respiratory process. The yogi breathing specifically distinguishes four steps: inspiration (puraka), hold of breath (rechaka), expiration, hold after expiration. Special attention is paid to the hold of breath during which, so is the yogi belief, the organism is intensely fed by the vital energy - the "prana". It is thought that having mastered the pranayama a man is ready for the "inner reincarnation" and, prospectively, for the psychosomatic harmony.

A thesis on the importance of breathing in life, both bodily and spiritual, on wholesomeness of respiratory exercises is characteristic to the Oriental medicine and philosophy.

It is well established today that a more frequent, deeper breathing (lung hyperventilation) brings abrupt changes to the biological current picture of the brain and, given a minimal cerebra deficiency results in modified consciousness and convulsions. Apparently the ancient people, using intuition and the hit or miss stratagem, discovered a wonderful interrelation indeed between a character (quality) of breathing and clarity of consciousness.

It is typical of breathing complexes of the ancient oriental medicine and martial arts to define breathing as a bioenergetic process open to a purposeful voluntary control by means of the external respiratory system functional change (frequency, ventilation amplitude, apnea at the inhalation and exhalation etc.) in combination with specific mental programs (meditation, auto-suggestion) enabling to attain phenomenal indicators of biological and psychic nature.

This knowledge constitutes the foundation of health improvement techniques and martial systems, which hold systematic respiratory exercises to be the primary principle, one of the main conditions of success. Health improvement systems from the Orient, ways and means of breath control have not become less significant and been successfully applied as the "complementary medicine" methods, serving as a complement for the approved methods of the orthodox medicine.

Studies by Abu-ali-ibn-Sin are interesting from the medical standpoint, for he viewed breathing as a most important prognostic principle, stating in detail available for that moment data on anatomy, respiratory organs physiology, various breathing disturbances in the "Canons of Healing Science", writes on breathing "at various essences and states", at various ages. He states that "movements during monotonous, natural, free from destructions breathing occur due to the movements of diaphragm..."

There are many types of breathing: "bigger, smaller, long, short, quick, slow, rare, frequent, narrow, wide, light, labored, strong, weak, hot, cold, even and uneven, interrupted, doubled, standing etc.".

Numerous observations of the author on breathing are of interest to the present time.

The Breathing Doctrine Evolution in the West

The problem of breathing in European philosophy and medicine has acquired a dynamic development in pace with scientific progress.

Plato, viewing soul to be immortal, defined it as the idea of an overflown breathing. Pheophastus wrote a book called "On breathing". Descriptions of the philosophers Diogenus's and Zenon's deaths may serve as proof of the available at the time knowledge of a possibility of changing a man's condition by breathing. Diogenus death was depicted as follows: "death did he accept while biting his lips with his teeth and holding his breath". Zenon "died on the spot, having held his breath..."

The Ionic philosophy representatives' ideas on the analogous character, unity of breathing and soul found their expression in the stoic logic.

Soul is the breathing inborn in us, that is why it remains after death, but it is subject to destruction, while indestructible is only the soul of the entirety, living creatures being part of it. Zenonus, Antipatrus (in the book "On the soul"), Posidolius says that soul is a warm breath which animates us and by which we move. "God is a living being, immortal, overflown... The leading part of his soul spreads over the ether (air, water, earth, fire)".

Works of the Italic philosophy representatives also mention breathing. Pirron speaks of a light breathing and a difficult breathing, comparing soul to a warm air movement while breathing. Anaksimen, a philosopher of the ancient Greece, considered air to be the beginning of existence: "Just like our soul, which exists by the air, has power over us, so breathing and the air ebrace all the world". Taking the Anaksimen's teaching for foundation, Alkmeon of Kroton, a doctor, created a medical pneumatic system - pneumatics. According to this system the air is a prime matter that organizes the man, who, like Nature as a whole, consists of the air.. An ancient Greek doctor Dyocl of Karista ascribed importance to "pneuma" (the air), stating that the air enters the body not exclusively through the mouth and the nose, but also through the skin pores, holding the pneuma movement disturbances to be one of the causes of illnesses.

In the "Tractate on the nature of Gods" Cicero mentioned the function of lungs, dwelled on that our soul is composed of fire and air appropriately mixed, that "the air is God, that it is born, immeasurable, endless, always on the move".

Sekst Empiricus, a Greek doctor and philosopher, in his personification of mind with Logos, wrote: "drawing in this divine mind by way of breathing we, according to Heraclitis, grow wise".

Klaudius Hallen while working out his doctrine on pneuma, in fact created a theory of his own, having outed a genial assumption of interdependence of breathing and function of the brain by means of a "psychic pneuma".

Everyday, empirical observations of breathing resulted in accumulation of certain knowledge of curative effect of breathing onto health, in medical recommendations. Even today it is no small wonder to learn that Plato in his time already described the shallow breathing application to eliminate the bronchi spasm. An ancient Greek doctor Erizimach recommended Aristophan to hold his breath as cure of cough. The outstanding doctors of the Ancient Rome Hallen and Celsius recommended to hold breath as a prophylaxis of nearly every disease.

Allowing for the considerable difference in philosophical, religious and scientific standpoints between the East and the West, the European philosophy and medicine also witnessed the due appearance, to become widely established, of a supposition of a closest interrelation of life and breathing, interdependence of respiratory function and health condition, specific breathing regulation methods were worked out.

A further knowledge accumulation in this field was substantially restricted in the middle ages, during the epoch of inquisition at its most. Within this period we practically showed no progress in cognition and comprehension of our breathing.

There was a proposition in the European philosophy and medicine on the importance of breathing, the unity of breath and soul, inseparability of breathing, health, life. These views underwent few changes through the middle ages, having been appended in a way. In the main work on anatomy and physiology called "Aristotle's Problemata" the lung was looked upon as the central organ participating in breathing. It was believed that the air for the most part is being left inside to be "distributed through various compositions", while the expired air was described as "evil". Miguel Servette who lived in the 1500s compared soul to breathing, wrote of interrelation of the functions of the heart and the lung in the life sustenance of the organism. There is a preserved description of an attempt at reanimation of a man by applying the heart massage and forced ventilation by a great Renaissance doctor Andrew Vezalius in 1543.

Having freed itself from the bounds of inquisition the human mind continued to cognate the world. A substantial breakthrough in the knowledge of breathing and its influence on all the basic functions and processes of the human body, on health entirety restoration, its value in disease prophylaxis, in human reserve capabilities increase, was achieved particularly on the peak of the scientific and technical revolution process.

It all can be traced back three hundred years. An English doctor Mayow in the second half of the 17th century stated that a live mouse and a burning candle assimilate one and the same substance of the air, that is spiritus nitroaereus.

It was in the same 17th century that a Dutch engineer Drebbel built a submarine of his own design. While working he established that when saltpetre is burned there forms a gas suitable for breathing. In 1777 A. Lavuasiex named the gas oxygen. He also established that when organic substances in the organism are soured, similar to their burning in the air or in the oxygen atmosphere, oxygen is assimilated, carbon acid is exhausted, warmth is emitted. Lavuasiex was of the opinion that life is inseparably connected with the processes of slow burning, i.e. of biological oxygenation. It was during this time that the standpoint of proximity of the tissue breathing phenomenon to burning in the oxygen atmosphere gained ground.

The discussion over scientific, fundamental research on gas exchange, physiology and pathology of breathing should be opened with I.M.Sechenov. "The Father of the Russian Physiology" devoted a long time to the gas exchange study. His fundamental works on the physiology of breathing and the gas exchange function of blood form the base of the hypoxy problem workout, nowadays one of the key issues of the theoretical and practical medicine. One of the main focuses of I.Sechenov's attention was the study of carbon gas, carbon dioxyde, along with the processes of its assimilation and emission by salt solutions, the blood, he was, in his own words, "pumping CO2 ". His thesis for a doctorate degree called "Materials for the future alcohol intoxication physiology" was dedicated to the acute alcoholic poisoning influence onto breathing and body temperature.

Further on V.I. Pashutin created an overall doctrine on the oxygen dificiency, P.M. Albitsky determined the time factor significance in the hypoxia development, as well as compensation reactions of the organism under oxygen deficiency. He also talked of a biological significance of carbon dioxide that is usually present in the organism.

Hypoxia is enlarged upon in a great number of works, adapting of the body to hypoxia and hypercapnia (E.A. Kartashevsky, N.V. Veselkin, N.I. Sirotinkin, I.R. Petrov, I.I. Golodov, M.E. Marshak, N.G. Zhironkin, I.S. Breslav, V.A. Safonov, G.G. Issaev, N.A. Agadzhanian, V.A. Berezovsky, Z.K. Sulimo - Samuilo, A.G. Dembo, A.Z. Kolchinskaya, A.M. Wein, O.G. Gazenko, M.F. Guly, R.B. Strelkov, S.G. Krivoshchekov, V.V. Gnevushev, T.D. Kuznetsova, V.B. Malkin. N.I. Volkov and others).

In the recent years clinicists have been exhibiting a hightened interest to the hyperventilation syndrome, hypocapnia, hypoxia, correction and prophylaxis of these conditions with medicamentous means and non-medicamentous ways, to the issues of hypoxic training. For there is still, as A.M. Wein and I.V. Moldavanu state, and not without reason, a "profound ignorance amidst our medical circles in issues of hyperventilation disturbances". This for a palpable extent accounts for insufficient attention paid to the diagnostics of the hyperventilation syndrome acute and chronic forms, to correction and prophylaxis of these disorders.

Research in the field of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry of breathing, working out of the gas exchange diffusion model, creation of the functional systems' theory, studying of the adaptation mechanisms have all contributed to appearance of various techniques on breathing and the gas exchange functions' disturbances' correction. These techniques can be conditionally divided into the non-apparatus (respiratory exercises), and the apparatus ways of breathing regulation and correction. These techniques have not just been imitating one another, each one has its own specifics that reflects the scientific knowledge level at the moment of its creation.

In the first half of the 20th century respiratory exercises were mostly used in cases of respiratory organs' diseases, as well as in training of professional singers, announcers, in particular sports, in choreography. At that time the most well-known were the three-phase-breathing systems worked out by Leo Kofler (Germany), Olga Lobanova and Yevgenya Lukianova (Russia). It is worthy of note that L. Kofler and Y. Lukianova had heavy cases of lung tuberculosis and and were completely healed only thanks to the respiratory exercises. O. Lobanova also got rid of a serious pulmonary disease having resorted to the Kofler system.

The study of the oxygen-transporting function of blood, tissue respiration, hypoxy and adaptation to it enabled the development of various methods of hypoxic training.

Studies of the carbon gas metabolism, carbonic acid, acid-alcaline balance lead us to the hypercapnic training techniques, to the discovery of a new facet of training.

Fundamental works in the field of reanimatology and anaesthesiology (artificial pulmonary ventilation apparatuses), in sports medicine (scuba/aqualungs), in the professional pathology (respirators, gas-masks, wind instruments etc.) presented a new side of respiration training. It was ascertained that to improve the ventilation it is possible to make use of an additional resistance to breathing, gas exchange (even in cases of respiratory deficiency), as well as of an additional breathing space application, a biologic feedback computer programs, electric stimulation of the diaphragm etc.

Thus, the scientific progress in the second half of the 20th century has provided us with new aspects, new horizons and new modes of respiratory exercises, including application of such out-of-the-way factors as resistance to breathing and an additional breathing space.

In the second half of the 20th century our practice grew richer with systems of the respiratory exercises worked out by V. Durimanov, J. Bulanov, A. Strelnikova, K.P. Buteiko, N.A.Agadzhanian, J.G. Vilunas, S. Grof, V.F. Frolov. Tables 1 and 2 provide a basic information on the respiration training methods.

Table 1. Systems of respiratory exercises.

Respiratory exercises' systems.

Application of the Frolov's training device respiratory exercises in medical practice.

The Breathing exercises can be viewed the unique and universal rehabilitation and prophylaxis factor, enabling an effective health condition improvement in cases of diseases, the organism adaptation reserve level increase, immune system activity rise and the anti-stress reactivity.

Clinical experience shows that breathing exercises are readily combined with any other therapy (medicamentous, physiologic, psycho, acupuncture etc.), in a number of cases they have efficiently eliminated side effects of some specific treatments, have enable the chemotherapy and physiotherapy minimization. Due to the specialists' training specifics the respiratory exercises have not been been applied to a proper extent in the treatment of various diseases (particularly in that of extrapulmonary pathology) and been absolutely unjustifiably ignored as the prophylaxis and personal hygiene means.

Studying various breathing control systems and respiratory devices an inventor Vladimir Frolov worked out "a device for every person", a unique breathing training device, his own respiratory exercises' system (patent No. 2123865 - "Respiratory system's training mode").

Initial research was conducted at the N.I. Pirogov's 2nd Moscow Medical Institute in 1989, when it was ascertained that the apparatus can be used for the curative breathing purposes in the resistance to breathing at the inhalation and exhalation phases regimen, in the hypercapnia and moderate hypoxia condition breathing regimen, therefore its wide application to the cure and prophylaxis end is possible (also as a sports training device). Further on a series of clinical testing was conducted at the Scientific Research Institute "Sport", The Scientific Research Institute for pediatrics, the Samara region respiratory medicine centre, at the phtysiopulmonology sub-faculty of the Samara Medical University, at the cardiology department of the Moscow region scientific research Institute (MONIKI), at the Medical Radiology Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMN). Order No. 311 (pos.347) of the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation dated 15.11.95 has confirmed the recommendation to apply the individual respiratory training device TDI-01 in medical practice.

Out of the number of explorations which followed in 1998 - 1999 noteworthy are the works on rehabilitation of women having the pathology climax of serious course (sub-faculty for obstetrics and gynecology at the GIDUV, Novokuznetsk, headed by Prof. V.S. Gorin , 1999), bronchial asthmatic patients of medium seriousness at the unsteady remission stage (The Moscow Medical Institute for Stomatology, sub-faculty for inner diseases No. 3 headed by a Russian Academy of Medical Sciences academician, Prof., Ph. D. in medical sciences E.I. Sokolov), on rehabilitation of the disabled children, diabetes patients (endocrinologist Tuz V.V., Children's Clinic No. 3 in Yaroslavl), on the myocardium infarction' patients rehabilitation (the "Podlipki" sanatorium in the Moscow region), exploration of the gas exchange while breathing through the TDI-01 (The Institute for Physiology at the Siberian Branch of the Rusian Academy for Medical Sciences, Prof., Ph.D. in medical sciences S.G. Krivoshchekov), the intersystemic interrelation analysis by the TDI-01 breathing control (Prof., Ph.D. in medical sciences N.I. Tsirelnikov, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences).

Respiratory exercises with the Frolov's training device is a unique variant of respiratory training

During the respiratory training with the TDI-01 breathing is performed through the water. 20 ml of water is poured into the device, serving as resistance to breathing of about 20 mm of water column, that is functioning as a hydraulic obstruction, "a fluid valve" (at the same time working as a perfect filter for the breathed in air). Taking into account that the water temperature is that of the room, and that the exhalation phase exceeds substantially the inhalation one, water evaporation during the inhalation may not be considered significant, for it does not lay weight onto the pulmonary gas exchange processes. It is most convenient to begin analyzing the respiratory exercises with the Frolov's training device by studying the table reflecting all the basic processes and peculiarities of this health improvement technique.

Respiratory training with the TDI-01

* RAD - respiratory act duration

Let us take a detailed view of the influence mechanism of the respiratory exercises with the Frolov's training device on a human body.

Taking each conditioning factor and processes caused by it step by step and in isolation we nevertheless should keep in mind the simultaneous character of their influence on the organism, as well as the time correlation of the processes caused by these factors. Therefore we can talk of the summing-up of these processes, of generation of the all-involving, synergy effect.

1. Hypoxia and the hypoxic stimulus.
   
   In the process of the respiratory exercises with the TDI-01 the hypoxic hypoxia is effected due to breathing through the water, the reverse breathing and the exhalation time increase. A combined effect of these factors makes for the light hypoxy training regimen, at 17 - 18 % O2 in the air mixture. In this event, according to the Scientific Reseach Institute "Sport", by way of the Frolov's training device there "establishes a gas exchange that corresponds to the optimal normobaric hypoxia parameters, and as a result of the reflexogenous system there forms an automatic regimen of the respiratory training, which prevents that the load exceeds the physiologically acceptable rate".
   
   Thus the respiratory training with the Frolov's training device makes for the conditioning of the organism in the hypoxic regimens similar to normobaric hypoxia, the interval hypoxic training and the alpine area atmosphere. Accordingly, there is a development of the analogous adaptation processes, an enduring adaptation to hypoxia takes effect. It is known that the adaptation to hypoxia process has its effect on the whole body, resulting in mobilization of the oxygen transporting and utilization functions, respiratory organs' functions, blood circulation, neuroendocrinous centres.
   
   Adaptation to a periodic hypoxia calls for the oxygen transportation and utilization systems' power increase, power of the stress-limiting systems, changes in the cellular and humane immunity system, the citochrome R450 and the antioxydizing systems' activity increase.
   
   These processes being combined cause the formation of the systemic changes, the systemic structure trace. In this background there has been noticed the cellular structures' growth - lung weight increase, growth of respiratory surface, rise of the functional capabilities of the myocardium, the vascular net density increase in the heart, the brain, the sceleton muscles, myoglobin concentration increase in the heart and the sceleton muscles.
   
   The stress-limiting systems' power increase ensures that the organism is secure in the face of various stress-inflicted damages.
   
   The immune system: as the adaptation to hypoxia takes effect the level of the immune complexes that circulate in the blood lowers , the immunoglobulin cotent in the blood serum restores and, consequently - the component C3 content rises.
   
   A considerable activity increase of the anti-oxydant systems throughout the body is noted under a periodic hypoxy, which alternates with the reoxygenation in the course of everyday respiratory exercises with the TDI- 01 and accounts for a therapeutic and prophylaxis effect of the Frolov's training device aplication in various age groups.
   
   The most significant advantage of these processes is that the systemic structural trace of adaptation to the periodic hypoxia is most branched and multifarious; it is accompanied by formation of crosswise protective effects and the organism resistivity increase to a damaging influence of factors completely different. That is why a stable adaptation to hypoxia is accompanied by equally effective processes of adaptation towards environs and inner medium (temperature, pH, hunger, physical load, hypodynamia, pain, chemical factors, ionizing and electromagnetic radiation etc.)
   
   It is a well established fact that the cellular hypoxia is one of the prime pathogenous factors at completely different diseases. In view of this, the respiratory training with the TDI-01 can be considered analogous to the homeopathic therapy. Severe hypoxia, on the one hand, is a cause for pathologic processes, for illnesses; a dozed influence of a "light" hypoxy increases the cells', regulation systems' and the entire organism' resistivity to this pathogenous factor. In this case the fundamental homeopathy principle is effected - "cure similar with a similar".
   
   A steady adaptation to hypoxia that is being developed during the course of training with the Frolov's Respiration Training device is directly and immediately related to treatment, rehabilitation and prophylaxis of most diseases. That is why the TDI-01 application in the treatment of somatic, psychic diseases, in obstetrics, traumatology and surgery, sports medicine and valeology.


2. Hypercapnia, hypercapnic stimulus as a training factor in the respiratory exercises' course with the TDI-01 are formed as a result of the dead space increase (the training device volume), barrier function of the water, which slows the carbon gas diffusion from lungs, and the reverse breathing.
   
   The hypercapnia level is relatively low, 0,7 % - 1,5 % ( up to 2,8 %) on the average, and is easily controlled by the patient on his subjective feeling. Sensing the tension, "lack" of air in the hypercapnia background, it would suffice for the patent to heighten the exhalation tempo, thus reducing the CO₂ content in the air mixture. In the respiratory exercises' course, with CO₂ increase all the hypercapnic chemoreceptors and the respiratory centre receive a natural excitation, causing a reciprocal ventilation intensifying, that is why the respiratory training success is particularly determined by a gradual, slow hypercapnia increase. Only under this provision it is possible to achieve the increase of chemoreceptors' and the respiratory centre neurons' resistivity to the hypercapnic stimulus, thus heightening the respiratory system stablity under a physical load, in confined-space conditions (transport, etc.). long-standing adaptation to hypercapnia also boosts the buffer systems' compensatory capabilities, furthers the hyperventilation disturbances elimination, hypocapnia, normalization of carbon acid content in tissues (as well as pH) and metabolic processes in the cells optimization through the threecarbon acids' cycle, the carboxyling reaction etc. S.P Pavlenko wrote in his time that "hypercapnia" is normally a pathogenetic effect, but while exciting the respiratory centre to a certain limit it plays the sanogenetic part as well". L.H. Garkavy and co-authors while studying the adaptation reactions successfully applied hypercapnia along with other factors of the body non-specific resistance increase.
   
   It is natural that hypercapnia, being a tantalizer that excites a significant number of receptors, and influencing the respiratory centre's and the sub-cortex structures' neurons activity, metabolic processes, is an activation therapy factor (analogous to hypoxia).


3. An additional respiratory space as a factor in the respiratory training with the TDI-01. DDP/ABS and the respiratory training
   
   ABS/DDP - an additional breathing space as a specific factor in the respiratory training has been constantly used in the Frolov's training device training course. ABS is provided by the Frolov's training device design and is approx. 300 ml. It is known that 300 ml of ABS equals the breathing condition found at 1200 m above the see level, at that O₂ content in the alveolar air can reach 12-14 %, that of CO2 - 5-6%. Research conducted by R.S. Vinnitskaya and co-authors showed that by breathing with 350 ml of the ABS the ventilation indicators exhibit rise: the minute ventilation up to 11,3 l (relaxed breathing - 7-6 l.), the alveolar ventilation - up to 8,46 l. (from 5,53 l.), the expired CO2 content is 5,68 % (from 5,38 %).
   
   The ABS application during the respiratory training with the Frolov's training device naturally induces/provokes the adaptation processes to hypercapnia, hypoxia, conditions the respiratory muscles. As a result of the ABS application increase lung ventilation, the respiratory muscles strength and endurance, forms resistivity to hypoxia, hypercapnia, changes in the inner medium of the organism.


4. The RAD gain.
   
   The RAD, respiratory act duration increase is achieved by way of a purposeful, voluntary change of the breathing regimen. In the training course with the TDI-01 a peculiar regimen is being modeled - one with a lengthened exhalation. As a result a pattern of breathing is being modified, frequency of breaths is being lowered, a thriftier and more efficient ventilation regimen is being formed.


5. Resistance to breathing at the inhalation phase.
   
   Resistance at the inhalation in the course of the respiratory exercises with the Frolov's training device serves an effective conditioning of the respiratory muscles. It is worthy of note that resistance to inhalation, which is gained through the water in the TDI-01 is similar to resistance of the nose during regular breathing. As is known, the nose cavity resistance at the inhalation amounts to 53,7 % of the overall resistance of the respiratory system to the air flow (at the exhalation - 38,34 %). Therefore breathing through the mouth in this case does not break the natural bronchi permeability regulation mechanisms, but conditions them, heightening their efficiency. At that it should be borne in mind that in the course of respiratory training with the Frolov's training device the diaphragm-relaxation breathing pattern is being formed. It should be noted that the diaphragm is the only specialized respiratory muscle, the diaphragm is the "inhalation muscle", its constriction provides a change in pressure in the abdominal and pectoral cavities, expanding of the lungs. During the exhalation phase the diaphragm is in a relaxed state - a natural, calm, easy exhalation is effected through the lung tissue elasticity and pressure change in the pectoral and abdominal cavities.
   
   Besides the respiratory function the diaphragm has several others.
   
   Functions of the diaphragm:
   
   
   • the static - tone of the diaphragm, equalizing of the endopectoral and the endoabdominal pressure;
   • the dynamic - the respiratory one (shallow and deep breathing);
   • the cardiovascular - mobility of the diaphragm and position of the heart, the endopectoral and the endoabdominal pressure dynamics, stimulation of the venous drainage from the liver;
   • the motor and digestion one - influence on the movements of the stomach, gall bladder, intestine, the endoabdominal pressure dynamics.
   
   
   Thus, the diaphragm type of breathing is the most optimal one.
   
   The diaphragm breathing is the inborn type of breathing, were are born with it. But lack of the culture of breathing, the breathing hygiene, the skills of self-control of breathing, along with such factors as overeating, emotional stresses, smoking, drinking, pregnancy, deep-breathing exercises all further disturbance of the natural, diaphragm type of breathing, evoke the forming of the pectoral or mixed type of breathing. Restoration of the diaphragm type of breathing is an indispensable condition of the respiratory training with the TDI-01, this type is within reach of every person, is wholesome at the lung, heart, digestion organs' diseases.


6. Resistance to breathing at the exhalation phase.

Presence of this factor makes for a principal difference between the respiratory training with the TDI-01 from other types of respiratory exercises.

Resistance to breathing at the exhalation has been traditionally applied by anaesthesiologists and reanimatologists in the artificial lung ventilation apparatuses. Long-term research in this field has shown the prospect of this factor application for the ventilation and gas exchange improvement in the course of the apparatus respiratory exercises. From the trivial air-ball blowing we have proceeded to the more convenient and effective means of respiratory training, the TDI-01 having proved to be one of the most handy and efficient respiratory training devices.

Resistance to breathing at the exhalation is usually defined as an artificial breathing regulation with resistance at the exhalation - RID/ABR, or DRS/ARR -an additional respiratory resistance. Application of resistance to breathing enables to define the Frolov's training device as the dynamic breathing resistor - DR/DBR.

All in all, the effect of resistance to breathing at the exhalation, found in the systems of respiratory exercises, was formerly traditionally used by logopeds, phonopeds, phonoatrs, the breathing system by Kofler and Lobanova, to a degree in the A.N. Strelnikova technique, as well as in the respiratory vibrators. The same effect is created at the functioning of ISZ/IPD (individual protection devices) - that is respirators, gas-masks, scuba etc.

But the prime specialty of the Frolov's breathing training device is the possibility of "fine" adjustment of resistance to breathing. A peculiar feature of this technique is application of water as the "fluid valve", which creates resistance to breathing within the range of 20 mm of the water column (volume of the water - 20ml). By changing the volume of the water in the device (10, 11, 12, 13 ml etc.) the patient can easily dose the resistance to breathing in accord with functional reserves of the organism. Resistance to breathing is a dynamic value; the air stream structure is changed corresponding to the fluid movement, the stream vibrations influencing the bronchi and the pulmonary tissue.

The breathing exercises with the Frolov's training device are characterized by daily application of the RID/ABR for a number of months - this is the crucial difference of the present rehabilitation program. It is exactly by this feature that the main health improvement effect of the entire body is effected, as well as rehabilitation at every type of disease.

It is natural that ARR at the exhalation conditions the respiratory muscles in a certain way, but in this case the peculiarities of the respiratory training and the respiratory act biomechanics call forth forming up of the diaphragm-relaxation pattern of breathing. It is accounted for by the fact that the exhalation is performed using minimal effort, active tension of the abdominal muscles is observed only at the end of a lengthened exhalation, that is after a short tension/tensing, constriction at the inhalation the diaphragm is relaxed for quite a while. The diaphragm-relaxation /relaxed diaphragm pattern of breathing coincides with breathing becoming less frequent and the VZD/BHT (breath-held time) increase, on the whole reflecting increase in thriftiness of the respiratory system function.

Unhampered application of the ABR (additional breathing resistance), the Frolov's training device in the clinic, physiological explorations in this field enjoyed wide attention only in the recent years, thus being unknown to the medical society, especially to the ambulatory stratum' specilists in polyclinics, rehabilitation centres, health centres for examination of athletes, sanatoriums.

Studies of the clinicists and physiologists (Bialovsky J.J., Belov A.F., Solopov I.N., Lichodeeva V.A., Gnoyevich V.V., Semenova O.P., Krivoshchekov S.G., Kovtun L.T., Abrossimov V.N., Nikulin S.V.) account for a wide range of adaptation changes in the body as a result of a systematic application of the aerodynamic resistance training, testify to a successful application of the RID/ABR and a combined respiratory training (CRT) even with the "patients having a clinically developed symptom picture of the chronical pulmonary deficiency of the 2nd-3rd degree., exhibiting pronounced symptoms of a secondary pulmonary emphysema", as well as for a general and the special working capacity increase.

It is natural that one of the first responses to resistance to exhalation is the alveolar ventilation optimization and the ventilation-perfusion ratio. The ventilation, gas exchange, microcirculation having been improved, the restoration processes of metabolic disturbances in the organs and tissues are under way, resulting in compensation and restoration of disturbed functions and regulation mechanisms. Theses processes of thorough restoration of biochemical processes, hormonal reception, homeostasis are accounted for by the tissue breathing optimisation and the organs and tissues hypoxia elimination.

That is why the respiratry training with the TDI-01 can be extensively applied in treating all kinds of diseases as a unique, if not universal rehabilitation and prophylaxis system.

Conclusions:

1. Respiratory exercises with the Frolov's respiration training device is an effective mode of respiratory training, which combines all the main factors that condition the respiratory system and the human body adaptation mechanisms, this is the CRT - the combined respiratory training.


2. Hydraulic resistance to breathing at the exhalation (easily controlled by the patient) is a characteristic feature and the central effective factor of the respiratory exercises with the TDI-01.


3. The combined respiratory training with the Frolov's training device (the CRT with the TDI-01) implements a synergy effect of the conditioning factors (the functioning mechanism is analogous to the non-medicamentous influence modes such as homeopathy, the normobaric hypoxia, the interval hypoxic training, the homeostatic therapy, the activation therapy).


4. The respiratory exercises with the TDI-01 as a variant of the activation therapy ensures a critical metabolism, tissue respiration and the regeneration processes improvement, being given thus a carte-blanche for application in the clinical medicine (therapy, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics etc.), in pediatrics, valeology, physical education and conditioning of athletes, in professional education.

Head physician of the "Dinamika" Medical Centre, Novosibirsk

Zinatullin S.N.

Home / About Device / How it Works / Results / FAQ / Articles / Video / Buy Now / Contact Us

Copyright © 1995—2008. Page last updated: 2008/04/03 16:40.
All materials on this site are copyright Dinamika Co Ltd.: Our Policies.
We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.