Chest Physiotherapy

•What is Chest Physiotherapy? 

•What does it treat?
•Who can perform it?
 Chest Physiotherapy

◦Is the use of several techniques that will help loosen and mobilize
respiratory secretions. This makes those secretions easier to cough up and
out, making breathing less difficult. 

◦These respiratory secretions can be associated with a number of

respiratory illnesses such as Cystic Fibrosis, Respiratory Syncytial Virus,
Rhinovirus, and many more.

◦Anyone is able to perform Chest Physiotherapy as long as they have the

right information.

◦Postural Drainage, Percussion, clapping, and cupping, along with

vibration are the techniques that can be used in therapy. 
 Percussion
• This presentation will focus on teaching parents how to perform percussion
therapy, but anyone can do it. Parents, Caregivers, Nurses and Respiratory
Therapists can do these treatments. 
• The techniques will be explained in directions, pictures, and video to cover
three different types of learning. 
• By the end of this presentation, parents should be able to explain what
chest physiotherapy is, how it can be performed, and the reasonings it is
ordered. 
• At the end, there will be a short quiz to evaluate the effectiveness of this
presentation. Another way to evaluate the effectiveness is to provide time
for questions at the end, along with asking the parents to perform one of
the percussion techniques. This will evaluate how much the parents
learned. 
 Positioning

• First, we need to prepare the child for

percussion. 
• Explain to them the sounds they may
hear, as the air trapped between the
hands and the skin could cause a
"popping" noise. Also inform the child
that this is a painless procedure and will
help them cough more productively. 
• Dress the child in a thin shirt or lay a
sheet over them. It is best to avoid doing
this on bare skin for comfort reasons. 
The child can be laid flat on a padded
surface, on their side, sitting up, or in
your lap. It is okay to use pillows or
towels for added support. 
 Next 

• You will cup your hands for larger

children.
• A therapy cup will be used for smaller
children. 
• A swift firm pat will be given to the
child over the different lobes of the
lungs. This should be done
rhythmically, and for the amount of
time ordered by the provider, but
usually for 1-2 minutes in each
position. 
• Only percuss over areas that ribs are
present. Do not percuss over the
abdomen, breastbone, or any other
soft area. A picture is provided to
show the correct areas to percuss.
 LOBES OF THE LUNGS

THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT

WILL BE PERCUSSED
      Areas of the Lungs 

• Apical segments upper lobes • Right lower 

• Right and left lower lobes

• Anterior Segments Upper lobes

• Right and left lower lobes – basal segments

• Anterior Lower Lobes

• Left upper lobe 

• Right Upper 
• Left lower lobe 
 It Really Helps

• The firm patting helps to jar the

airways loosening those sticky
secretions that have become stuck
to the sides. Once those secretions
are loose, they can be moved up the
airways and eventually out through
the mouth. 
 Important Things to Remember
• Keep your arm relaxed while performing chest physiotherapy. This will keep it
from becoming sore and tired. 
• Reward your child for participation and give encouragement throughout
treatment.
• Alert your pediatrician  to any of the following changes:
• New onset of fever
• Blood tinged sputum
• Secretions that the child cannot clear
• Any changes in color of the lips, nails, or skin
 Quiz Time!
This is just to see how much information was retained and to evaluate these teaching methods. 

Question 1.                                               Question 2.

What is chest physiotherapy? What should the child be dressed in for therapy?

A. Type of therapy that will help with depression and anxiety. A. Thick, heavy coat or sweatshirt.

B. Treatment of respiratory diseases B. Nothing

C. A treatment to help with constipation. C. A light shirt or towel,

D. A therapy that uses percussion, vibration, and postural drainage to help D. Anything they are comfortable in. 

 loosen and mobilize respiratory secretions. 

Question 3 Question 4

Who can perform chest physiotherapy? What areas are safe to percuss?
A. The abdomen
A. Anyone who is taught how.
B. The chest and breastbone
B. Nurses or Respiratory Therapists
C. Only areas over ribs
C. It is only done by the provider. 
D. Any area is safe
D. Only Respiratory Therapists
 References

• CHEST PHYSIOTHERAPY BIRTH TO 2 YEARS.  • Chest Physiotherapy. (2016). Retrieved from

            (2015, June). Retrieved November 7,                  https://www.youtube.com/watch
             2019,  from https://www.childrensmn.org/               ?v=MGrsdLzhhvE
             Educationmaterials/childrensmn/article • Baby Baby Chest Percussion Therapy.
             /15300/Chest-physiotherapy-birth-to-2               (2017).  Retrieved from
             -years/.                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x
               -z_zV5aVAE