Abstract: Objective To investigate the characteristics of pulmonary function after completed cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) and the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation with abdominal pressure. Methods 32 male patients with CSCI were measured with pulmonary function test (PFT), and 10 of them accepted pulmonary rehabilitation with 3～5 kg pressure on their abdomen 30 min per day for 8 weeks. Results Their forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁）, vital capacity （VC）, forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF) were all less than 50% prediction. After 8 weeks, the pulmonary function of 10 patients who received exercise significantly improved (P<0.01). Conclusion The pulmonary function impaired in patients with CSCI. The pulmonary rehabilitation with pressure on abdomen can improve the pulmonary function.

Key words: cervical spinal cord injury, pulmonary function, rehabilitation