[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 84, Issue 37

[Rick Epping <rickepping@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi John,

You might contact David Harp <http://www.davidharp.com/>, who has done some
work in this field and written a harmonica method especially for people with
low respiratory function entitled, "Better Breathing Through Harmonica".

Rick


> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:55:23 -0400
> From: John Schaman <jschaman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Help wanted for Harmonica Medical/Scientific Study
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Message-ID: <C88E4B0B.22BB3%jschaman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<C88E4B0B.22BB3%25jschaman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> Greetings fellow harp enthusiasts,
>
> I would very much appreciate your help.  I have been subscribed to the
> Harp-L digest for a number of months and I have read most posts during that
> time.  Being a newcomer to the harmonica world (almost 3 years), I have
> found it very informative and helpful.  Although my initial interest was of
> a medical/scientific nature, I have developed quite an attachment to this
> little instrument.  My day job for 33 years has been in the field of
> rehabilitative medicine, primarily cardiac testing and rehabilitation, as
> well as musculoskeletal rehab and sports medicine.  Almost three years ago,
> I became intrigued by the possibility that playing the harmonica might have
> medical/health benefits, primarily pulmonary (lung).
>
> What caught my initial attention was a combination of observations and
> findings:
>
> 1. Epidemiological data showing a 50% loss in lung function between the
> ages
> of 30 and 70.
> 2. The common belief and observation that individuals performing certain
> activities such as: horn playing, opera singing, breath-hold diving, etc.
> have a lesser decline in lung function with aging compared to the general
> population (in other words, the belief that these individuals have Åbetter
> lungsË).
> 3. The conclusion that certain lung activities might reduce the loss of
> lung
> function that is assumed to be ÅnormalË with aging.
> 4. The conclusion that the observed decline in lung function, although
> following a statistical norm for our population, may not be desirable or
> optimal for good health and longevity.
> 5. The long-term observation in my clinic that a rather significant
> proportion of my patients who undergo pulmonary function testing are
> actually significantly below the Åstatistical normË, as provided by the
> pulmonary function algorithms (variables used to predict normal values
> include age, sex, ethnicity, and height).
> 6. Reports from several North American and international pulmonary
> rehabilitation programs that harmonica playing has pulmonary ÅbenefitsË,
> although without any scientific or statistical evidence.
>
> With these things in mind and realizing that the aerobic endurance exercise
> prescribed for cardiac rehabilitation patients does not significantly
> benefit pulmonary functions, I was convinced that there would be value in
> designing a study to research the medical effects of playing the harmonica.
> The purpose of the study was to determine if pulmonary exercises could
> possibly reduce the epidemiologically observed loss of lung function with
> aging.  I decided to use the diatonic harmonica as the respiratory ÅtoolË
> in
> the program/study.  As the only instrument that Åmakes musicË with both
> blowing and drawing, there is a potentially unique benefit to lung
> excursion
> and ultimately, to lung function.  As I already had the equipment to
> perform
> intricate pulmonary function testing, I designed the research protocol,
> which initially appeared very simple and straightforward.  Subjects were to
> be patients with heart and lung disease, generally over 40 years of age,
> who
> had not played the harmonica, at least in recent years. Testing was to be
> undertaken at the start and the end of the period of time chosen as the
> duration of the study.
>
> We named the program H.E.L.P. - Harmonica Exercise for Lung Program, a lung
> improvement/rehabilitation program and study.  After months of preliminary
> research and preparation the program was launched on November 29, 2007.
> Although the study seemed simple and straightforward, we soon learned
> otherwise.  We taught the patients to play scales and melodies, in much the
> same way that most books and teaching methods seem to advocate.  This
> immediately caused ÅtechniqueÄ frustrations as these Åolder patientsÄ found
> it hard to play Åsingle notes.Ë   I have since learned from harmonica
> teachers and advisors to our study that it may take some harmonica students
> as long as one year to be able to play Åsingle notes.Ë  Furthermore, our
> ambulatory patient population didnÄt seem to have their lungs challenged in
> the way that I had expected. It is possible that in a more severely
> diseased
> population, our early methods might have been more effective. We spent many
> months, with the help of harmonica experts from around the world, devising
> a
> more effective Åharmonica methodÄ, which essentially involved rhythmic
> chordal playing.  In retrospect this made a lot more sense and was much
> more
> effective in achieving the physiological challenges I postulated would be
> required.
>
> The present methods of H.E.L.P. differ from standard harmonica teaching
> methods in that we are trying to develop the best pulmonary-enhancing
> techniques and exercises, somewhat at the expense of musicality.  The
> traditional harmonica teaching methods did not achieve the pulmonary
> effects
> that we thought were optimal for our patient population. Our main goal is
> to:
>
> 1. strengthen the muscles of respiration, including the diaphragm
> 2. exercise the lungs above the Åcomfort zoneË in the inspiratory range
> 3. exercise the lungs below the Åcomfort zoneË  in the expiratory range
>
> As we progressed, I developed many concerns about scientific validity. We
> were essentially doing a Dose-Response Study.  In order to conduct a
> Ådose-responseË study, it is necessary to quantitate harmonica playing, as
> some means of quantitating the ÅdoseË is required.  Duration of playing is
> not enough, as there is no quantitation of intensity of playing.  With my
> long term experience in cardiac research with respect to exercise, we have
> developed a reasonably accurate quantitation of exercise using intensity
> (measured quite accurately with heart rate), duration (in minutes) and
> frequency (number of times per day, week, etc.).  Unfortunately, there
> hasnÄt yet been developed a means of quantitating intensity of harmonica
> playing.  I developed several ideas and I tried to work with the University
> of Waterloo Bio-Engineering department, so far without success.  I felt the
> most likely method to give this measurement is some type of strain gauge on
> the chest which measures both frequency and magnitude of chest excursion.
> The combination of these two variables should give a reasonably accurate
> indicator of harmonica playing intensity.
>
> I have been a member of the SPAH medical committee for the past two years
> and IÄve presented the H.E.L.P. study at both the St. Louis and the
> Sacramento meetings.  I had hoped I would receive input from the harmonica
> community to overcome some of the obstacles, however, very few diatonic
> harmonica players attended my presentations.  This didnÄt surprise me, as
> there were always many much more exciting sessions and topics occurring at
> the same time.  IÄm sure this will again be the case this year in
> Minneapolis, where IÄm presenting the H.E.L.P. study between 2 and 3 pm on
> Friday.
>
> If the harmonica is to be taken seriously as an instrument of potential
> health improvement, it is paramount that the harmonica gain credibility in
> the medical establishment, the scientific community, and in such diverse
> fields as the insurance and healthcare industries.  To achieve this,
> certain
> scientific principles must be applied, and unfortunately anecdotal and
> promotional strategies may actually be counterproductive.  For this reason
> I
> believe it is important to conduct a study that will stand up to scientific
> scrutiny.
>
> I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Sorry for the length of
> this
> post.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> John
> --
> J. P. Schaman, M.D.
> Ontario Aerobics Centre
> 1010 Hopewell Creek Road
> R. R. #2
> Breslau, Ontario
> N0B 1M0
>
> cell(519)658-3733
>
> Web-sites:
> clinic:  http://www.jschaman.com/
> harmonica-lung program: http://www.harp-doc.com/
> cfa:     http://www.cfaheart.com/
>
>
>
>
>