Anyone use a Volumetric Exerciser

[bogey21]

When I was in High School and College I ran track and used to suck in huge amounts of air. In my later years, say between 80 and 85, I noticed a significant change. Recently I bought a Volumetric Exerciser which measures one's air intake. It came with a table which using age and height show that my intake should be 2,350 milliliters but I am only sucking in around 1,500 milliliters. Anyone have experience with one of these things...

George

 

[isisdave]

Is it a Voldyne 5000, which seems to be the most prevalent, or something like that?

If I inhale slowly to keep the small float in the BEST range, my indicated inspiration is about 2500 mL. If I inhale as fast and hard as I can, it reads more like 3400, I wonder if either of these is right. If I had a graduated container, and a tub or bowl big enough to invert it into, I could fill it with water and then exhale through another tube into it... but I don't have a graduated container that big.

In any case, I know that when I last had one, about 2006, I could manage 4000 mL, so things are definitely stiffening up. The "normal" tables account for age and height but not weight; I'm pretty sure belly fat pushes up on the diaphragm and will limit lung capacity at least some.

 

[1st Class]

This is more commonly known as a spirometer. You can increase your lung capacity by taking up to 10-15 breaths several times each day. Breathing in slowly and keeping the float as steady as possible will give the best results. I would recommend you speak with your doctor or NP to be sure you are using it correctly.

 

[bogey21]

I would recommend you speak with your doctor or NP to be sure you are using it correctly.

Good advice. I emailed my Doctor who responded with a protocol to follow. Will follow up when I see her in October...

George