Pulmonary Function

During childhood we were always instructed to sit straight. In my class (age 16) with 40 students, I noticed about 15 students slouched during a 45 minutes lecture, and towards the end about 22 were seen slouching. The students slouched for an average of 20 minutes in a lecture of 45 minutes. Contrarily, in middle school classes students (aged 13) slouch less, in a class of 30 students only 6-7 students slouched. The time for which they slouch was for about 5 minutes which is lesser in 16 year olds. The students in lower age group changed their posture frequently, sitting straight.

Adolescents have a prolonged usage of electronic devices which increase their sitting time, this increases the risk of shifting to slouched position. This is the position that I also get into unconsciously while typing and working on laptop, and I have experienced that the breathing is much easier and deeper when I was sitting straight than when I slouched. I knew that the lungs somehow get affected in the two postures which makes me breathe easier and deeper when I am sitting straight. Since then I was curious as to how this happens, and the idea to measure the lung volumes struck me when we were …show more content…
Determining the lung function by Pulmonary Function Test:
Lung function can be determined by Pulmonary Function Test (PFT), normally done by using a spirometer. Pulmonary function test by a spirometer essentially measures :
Tidal volume (TV): This is the volume of air ventilated during normal breathing.
Vital capacity (VC): This is the total volume of air that is exhaled after inhaling maximum. Volume of maximum air exhaled is Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV), and the maximum volume of air inhaled is the Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV). VC is calculated using the formula: VC = IRV+TV+ERV
Forced vital capacity (FVC). This is the amount of air exhaled forcefully and quickly after inhaling as much as you