Physiotherapy Management of Adults With Breathing Pattern Disorders: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Breathing pattern disorders (BrPD) are recognised as prevalent and debilitating, often occurring secondary to conditions such as asthma and anxiety. Physiotherapy, particularly breathing retraining, is a core treatment for BrPD, however, physiotherapy management remains poorly defined. This scoping review aimed to map and summarise literature on physiotherapy management in adults with BrPD.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews and Joanna Briggs Institute methodology framed this review. Sources published in English from 1975 onwards including adults with BrPD and physiotherapy management approaches were eligible, without restriction on source of evidence. Comprehensive searches were conducted across eight databases and grey literature.

Results: A total of 137 sources were included. Physiotherapy BrPD management commonly involved breathing retraining (99%), with frequent inclusion of relaxation (49%) and education (47%). Delivery was predominantly face-to-face and one-on-one, with growing use of self-directed delivery formats.

Discussion: Physiotherapy management of BrPD is multifaceted and anchored by breathing retraining, supported by adjunctive education, relaxation, and self-management. Considerable variability was found in treatment components and delivery models. Physiotherapists are well placed to lead BrPD management. Future research should focus on robust intervention and outcome reporting for this challenging and costly condition.