3-ball breathing trainer: use and guidance

Airflow and the amount of air are different quantities. Airflow describes how much air passes through the device per unit of time. Volume describes the total amount of air breathed in. A short, stronger airflow and a longer, weaker airflow therefore cannot be compared from the height of the balls alone.

In flow-oriented devices, the balls respond to airflow. Volume-oriented devices instead display an amount of inhaled air, often using a piston. The AARC guideline on incentive spirometry explains this distinction. [P2]

The three balls do not represent three areas of the lungs or a measure of lung health. Their movement alone cannot diagnose a disease or confirm healthy lungs. Colours and printed numbers do not establish your personal target without the correct device instructions either. For HAS-42, the exact meaning of the indicators and scale remains unresolved until it has been checked against those instructions.

“Inspiratory trainer” describes the direction of breathing; “flow-oriented” and “volume-oriented” describe the type of feedback. A volume trainer can therefore also be an inspiratory trainer. The comparison below covers these two forms of incentive spirometry, not every product sold as a breathing trainer. [P2]

A similar shape does not mean that connections, scales or cleaning are the same. Check the manufacturer and exact model or item number on the device, packaging and instructions. A video showing a similar-looking device is not enough to establish a match. HAS-42 is not definitively assigned to either type here until its manufacturer documentation has been conclusively identified.

Breathing trainers can be part of a supervised treatment programme. For example, the thoracic surgery department at University Medical Center Freiburg describes instruction in a breathing trainer around the time of surgery, alongside physiotherapy and mobilisation. This is a clinical context of use, not an exercise prescription for every reader. [P4]

The 2011 AARC guideline does not recommend routine use of incentive spirometry alone to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. Buying a breathing trainer therefore does not guarantee a treatment outcome. [P2]

Ask your care team whether the specific device is intended for you, what purpose it serves and how it fits alongside other measures. This also applies to COPD, long COVID or symptoms after surgery. A diagnosis alone does not determine a suitable exercise schedule.

Ask to be shown how to use the actual model you will be practising with. The Cambridge University Hospitals patient information also provides for setup and instruction by a physiotherapist, nurse or doctor. [P3] This checklist helps you prepare for that session:

• Device and instructions: Do the model, item number and demonstrated version match? What is included in the package?
• Positioning: What posture and device position should you use? Where can the device be placed securely?
• Connections: Where do the tubing and mouthpiece connect? How can you recognise that they are fitted correctly?
• Breathing: Do you breathe in or out, how is the mouthpiece used, and which display target applies to you?
• Feedback: Can you repeat the demonstrated sequence under observation? What should change if the display differs from the target?
• Everyday use: Who answers questions after the session? What applies if relatives help you prepare?

Write the answers down along with the model number. Repetitions, breaks and any breath-holding phases belong in your personal plan. No numbered operating sequence is published for HAS-42 without correctly matched instructions for use.

A stationary ball alone does not indicate a fault or reduced lung performance. First clarify which balls are supposed to respond at your agreed target. Do not try to force the display by breathing ever more strongly or for longer.

Specific observations are useful when asking for help: Does the device position match your instruction? Is the tubing visibly kinked, a connection loose or a part damaged? Which ball stays down, and has this happened from the start? Note these points without opening the body or mechanically freeing the balls.

The importance of device position can be seen, for example, in the upright position specified in the GIMA manual for RESPIPROGRAM. [P1] The correct HAS-42 instructions must establish which checks and adjustments are permitted. Ask the team that instructed you to review an unclear display and your technique before changing the exercise target.

Your personal exercise plan takes precedence. The AARC guideline identifies no sufficiently supported universal frequency of use. MSK explains that frequency and duration depend on the operation and recovery and are set by the care team. Numbers from its instructions for a different device are not reproduced here. [P2] [P5]

You can copy this template into a notebook and fill it in together:

• Device and model: ______
• Purpose of the exercise and agreed display target: ______
• Sequence and amount of practice per session: ______
• Frequency, breaks and any breath-holding phase: ______
• Planned period of use and review date: ______
• Reasons to stop and contact for questions: ______

If a field remains unclear, ask for an explanation. Do not raise the target simply because another ball rises or online instructions mention a higher value.

Care must follow the instructions for the specific model. The mouthpiece, tubing and body need to be considered separately: permission to clean a removable part does not automatically apply to the whole device. The differing device information from GIMA and MSK illustrates that requirements depend on the model. Their procedures are not transferred to HAS-42. [P1] [P5]

Before first use, ask specifically:

• Which parts may be removed and cleaned?
• Which products, methods and intervals are approved?
• How should parts be dried and stored?
• When must parts or the whole device be replaced?
• Is the product intended for one person, and for what period of use?

The available documentation does not confirm whether HAS-42 can be cleaned in a dishwasher, boiled, treated with disinfectants or shared. Do not apply these methods based on instructions for another model. Have the storage conditions confirmed too, and keep the correct instructions with the device. Request product documentation.

Stop the exercise if you feel dizzy. Remove the mouthpiece and return to normal breathing. Discuss the dizziness with your care team; do not change the exercise schedule on your own. CUH specifically identifies dizziness as a reason to discuss breaks and technique with your physiotherapist. MSK recommends normal breaths and a rest if needed when you feel dizzy or lightheaded. [P3] [P5]

Pain on breathing or breathing difficulties also need medical assessment and are not a reason to keep practising through symptoms. Severe breathlessness or severe chest pain requires immediate medical help. [P6: gesund.bund.de] Do not wait for a reply through the product contact form in that situation. A ball display cannot medically assess symptoms.

The HaseMed breathing trainer with 3-chamber system is listed under item number HAS-42. The original photograph shows three transparent chambers with coloured balls, tubing and a mouthpiece. The photograph alone does not establish the confirmed package contents, approved cleaning methods or precise measurement function.

As of 8 September 2026, the product is listed as price on request; the variant is marked unavailable. Ask about stock status and request a specific quotation.

Useful details for an enquiry are the item number HAS-42, the quantity required and the language needed for the instructions. Also request conclusive manufacturer and model identification, confirmed package contents and information on use and care. Existing contradictory descriptions of the device type do not replace this documentation.

Enquire about product details and availability · Request product documentation · Enquiry for organisations

Source review date: 8 September 2026. Manufacturer and hospital materials about other devices provide general context. They do not replace instructions for HAS-42. The 2011 guideline is cited with its actual publication year.

• H1: HaseMed HAS-42: product page and original photograph. Basis for product identity and visible design. Conclusively matched instructions for use (H0) are still missing.
• P1: GIMA RESPIPROGRAM, instructions for use, Rev. 3.03-26, German edition, pages 11–12. Example of another flow-oriented model; its scales and care procedures are not adopted.
• P2: AARC Clinical Practice Guideline: Incentive Spirometry, 2011. Device principles, instruction, frequency and evidence limitations; still listed in the AARC guideline overview.
• P3: Cambridge University Hospitals: Incentive spirometer, approved 16 July 2024. Instruction and advice about dizziness; a different device design.
• P4: University Medical Center Freiburg: physiotherapy in thoracic surgery. Example of supervised respiratory therapy and mobilisation in a clinical setting.
• P5: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: How To Use Your Incentive Spirometer, 24 November 2023. Individual targets, duration of use and symptoms; not HAS-42 instructions.
• P6: gesund.bund.de: the emergency department. German government patient information on emergencies, including severe breathlessness and severe chest pain.