Hi,

I agree that it can cause the issues you raise.

However, when would you give an asthmatic person incentive spirometry anyway?

For an acute, post abdominal surgery, with decreased basal exapnsion and LOTS of pain, anything that increases their inspiration is going to help.

To give the patient some sort of incentive to inspire more, you get them to exhale more completely. Then they will automatically breathe in a little more than before.

It is not rocket science - try it yourself - breathe out slowly (not forcefully) - it makes you want to take in a bigger breath than your normal tidal volume right?

We are all physios - i trust that we all can use our common sense and not give this to people in whom it is inappropriate.

In any case, just get the patient to get up for a walk and even do some stairs - that will get the resp rate increasing!