Respiratory Muscle Stretch Gymnastics (RMSG), which is designed to stretch the intercostal muscles during the contraction phase, was applied to 39 patients with chronic respiratory disease. A new analog scale, "bidirectional analog scale (BAS) " with endpoints of "maximum comfortableness" and "maximum uncomfortableness" was designed in attempt to quantitatively measure one of the two sensations of breathing. The measurement was standardized so that the BAS score for maximum comfortableness and uncomfortableness is + 100 points and − 100 points, respectively. Valid results were obtained from 37 patients aged 64.9 ± 5.0 y. o. The BAS score before RMSG was − 8.4 ± 5.9 points and was significantly increased to 4.0 ± 5.2 points 5 minutes after performing 3 times of each 4 RMSG pat-terns. The existence of the "comfortableness" of breathing as a sub-type of respiratory sensation was suggested. Also, the results indicate that RMSG not only reduces dyspnea, but also increases the "comfortableness" of breathing.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.16/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE