Under general anesthesia and inactivity, a patient's breathing may slow, causing air sacs in their lungs to not fully inflate.

[2] In conjunction with breathing exercises and early mobility, incentive spirometry use is therefore beneficial for patients recovering from pneumonia or rib damage to help minimize the chance of fluid build-up in the lungs.

[citation needed] Incentive spirometer is indicated for the following reasons:[4] While there are no absolute contraindications for spirometry use, inspiratory muscle training can worsen some existing medical conditions, including the following:[4] Patient starts in a seated upright position.

[1] Generally, patients are encouraged to do many repetitions a day while measuring progress by way of advancing the movable gauge along the central column of the device as they improve.

[citation needed] Traditional incentive spirometers can be more challenging for children due to compliance and submaximal effort.