Boomerang pillows and respiratory capacity in frail elderly women

An exploratory study was done to determine whether frail elderly women placed on boomerang pillows would have an altered minute volume after 10 minutes. A convenience sample of 18 subjects took part in the study. A repeated measures design was used in which subjects served as their own controls. After 10 minutes on the boomerang pillows, there was a significant reduction in the minute volume of subjects. Boomerang pillows may be contraindicated in people with reduced lung capacity due to age; however, further research on a larger sample of frail elderly women is indicated.