Oep derived thoracoabdominal movement parameters significantly distinguish between rest, various exercise intensities, and recovery

Optoelectronic plethysmography (OEP) is a 3D motion capture technique that provides information on an individual’s breathing pattern by measuring the movement of the chest wall. The purpose of this study was to determine if OEP derived breathing parameters could distinguish between rest, various exercise intensities, and recovery. Thirty-one participants performed an incremental cycle test until volitional exhaustion. The ratio of inspiratory to expiratory flow at 50% of tidal volume (IE50) and phase angle between the ribcage and the abdomen was calculated as rest, low, moderate, and high exercise intensity, and recovery post exercise. If was found that these OEP derived parameters were sufficiently sensitive enough to distinguish between rest and each exercise intensity, low and high exercise intensities, and between rest and recovery demonstrating the potential use of OEP in the assessment of respiratory function.