Chapter 7: Moving and positioning
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Anatomy and physiology
Both the skeletal and the muscular structures that make up the thoracic cage and surround the lungs play vital roles in respiration (see Chapter c12: Respiratory care, CPR and blood transfusion). Compromise of one or more of these (e.g. abdominal muscle dysfunction due to abdominal surgery, ascites or deconditioning) may lead to an alteration in normal respiratory function and the inability to generate an effective cough (Schellekens et al. [114]).
