Influence of Varying Degrees of Passive Limb Movements on Respiration and Oxygen Consumption of Man

Abstract

Seventeen experiments were conducted on 10 adult male subjects to determine the significance of the changes occurring in ventilatory minute volumes following passive manipulation of one to six joints. The respiratory minute volume can be significantly increased consequent to the reflexes originating in passively moving joints. This increase occurred without a corresponding increase in oxygen consumption (one joint) or heat production (one and three joints). The potency of this reflex effect was not very large but there was a suggestion that it may have been underestimated due to the inadequacy of available methods. Submitted on December 6, 1957