Effect of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients - A mini review

Abstract

Background: The third leading cause of death globally is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which has attracted considerable attention from researchers and professionals in this field. One of the most important aspects of treating individuals with COPD is physical therapy. This study sought to explore the combined effect of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and aerobic exercise on pulmonary in COPD patients. In addition, it aims to summarize the available literature related to the topic.

Methods: We reviewed the literature and conducted a randomized interventional trial, which included 60 COPD patients. Their age ranged from 50 to 60 years. Patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups: Group A (N = 30), received IMT plus aerobic activity, while group B (N = 30) received aerobic exercise. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks, with sessions conducted 3 times per week. Pre and post assessments included parameters of pulmonary function [forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity of the lungs (FVC), FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow (PEF)] as well as functional capacity.

Results: Analysis of the study’s findings revealed that after 4 weeks of intervention, all measurements demonstrated a substantial rise (P<0.05), including pulmonary function parameters (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and PEF), and functional capacity, when comparing the experimental group to the control group.

Conclusion: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients may benefit from a combination of IMT and aerobic training to improve their ventilatory and overall functional capacity.