Background: Obesity can affect the thorax, diaphragm, and alterations in respiratory function
even if the lungs are within normality. The respiratory compliance is very reduced
by the increase in fat mass. Aim: To evaluate the effect of the physical therapeutic respiratory exercises on the
thoracoabdominal mobility of obese individuals in pre-bariatric surgery Methods: Cross-sectional and descriptive study, which used the cirtometry (axillary,
xiphoid and abdominal) to evaluate the mobility of 74 individuals, 27 men and 47
women, in pre-bariatric surgery, assisted by the team EMAD, after eight weeks of
physiotherapy, following a protocol of exercises, reevaluating and compared the
measures pre and post intervention. Results: Had positive correlation abdominal mobility in the total volume of all
participants (p=0.010) and also for all the measures in the measurement of
residual volume in three levels (p=0.000). Comparing genders, in total volume,
cirtometry abdominal greater for women (p=0.015) when compared to men and residual
volume, significance for either men or women in all measurements (p=0.000). Conclusion: Obese patients that underwent the physiotherapeutic treatment during the
preoperative period, had pré respiratory dynamics improved by the increase in the
mobility of the chest cavity and by the improvement of respiratory conscience.