CHANGES OF BODY EQUILIBRIUM REACTIONS THR OUGH BREATH WORK - A POSTUROGRAPHIC STUDY WITH VISUAL FEEDBACK

Background: Therapeutical methods involving holistic medicine are of i ncreasing interest. The present study deals with the psychophysical br eath work by Middendorf and examines whether it has an effect on react ions of the body's equilibrium system. Method: Different optical patte rns were projected on a video screen to the test subject standing on a modified posturographic platform. Subjects were instructed to shift t heir center of gravity according to the patterns projected on the vide o screen. The patterns consisted of a line that had to be followed in the anterior-posterior and in the lateral plane, and of a circle which had to be followed clockwise and counterclockwise. Patients: Three gr oups each consisting of 17 healthy persons were tested; group 1: advan ced in breath training, group 2: beginners in breath training, group 3 : no experience in breath work at all. Results: Group 1 und 2 show sig nificantly better results in the posturographic test with visual feedb ack than subjects without experience in breast Work (group 3). Further more, posturographic results immeditely after one hour of breath work reveal clear improvements in the body equilibrium. Conclusions: Psycho physical breath work by Middendorf leads to a general improvement of t he body equilibrium which is stable over time. The positive results of this study lead to the assumption that breath work by Middendorf is a valuable method for treatment and rehabilitation of balance disorders .