Effective Physical Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Respiratory function and arterial blood gas were examined before and after a two-month exercise program performed in a pool filled with hot spring water in 22 patients (70.9 +/- 9.1 years of age) with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (12 cases of bronchial asthma and 10 cases of pulmonary emphysema) treated at our hospital between 1991 and 1994. The ratio of forced expired volume in one second to forced vital capacity (FEV1%) was significantly increased after the exercise program (P < 0.05), whereas the ratio of forced vital capacity to predicted normal value (%FVC) did not change. In addition, a tendency toward an increase in peak flow without an increase in maximum expiratory flow at 25 and 50% (V25 and V50) was observed. Although PaO2 was not increased, PaCO2 was selectively decreased by the exercise program (P < 0.05). The changes in respiratory function and arterial blood gas were considered attributable to respiratory muscle training and small airway clearance. Exercise in a pool filled with hot spring water may be useful in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Swimming pool-based exercise as pulmonary rehabilitatior for COPD patients in primary care: feasibility and acceptability

“…[21][22][23] A small body of research has examined the physiological effects of exercise in water for people with respiratory diseases. 6,10 Reported benefits need to be assessed in greater depth, but they are supported by the findings of this study.…”

“…6 In a number of studies of hydro-therapy in a hospital setting, Kurabayashi and colleagues concluded that exercise in a hot spring-water pool may be useful in COPD. [7][8][9][10] Exercise in water has characteristics that may make it beneficial in the elderly. 11,12 These observations suggest that people with COPD may find exercise in water more suitable.…”

Effects of an Aquatic Versus Non-Aquatic Respiratory Exercise Program on the Respiratory Muscle Strength in Healthy Aged Persons

“…However, few of them used aquatic respiratory exercise with such ends. A lone study 15 used the aquatic modality exclusively, but its results could not be directly compared with those of our study, since the sample type, variables evaluated, and conditions of treatment were different. The authors found a significant increase in the FEV 1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) for subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who performed respiratory exercises in warm water (38ºC).…”

“…29 Kurabayashi et al got similar results to this study, when they did not find improvement in expiratory parameters in subjects with COPD who underwent aquatic RMT. 15 Kurabayashi et al reported improvement in FEV 1 and peak flow of subjects with emphysema who accomplished expiration under water. 31 They believed that the added resistance given by water resistance was similar to the pursed-lips expiration, preventing the small airway from collapsing.…”

Efectos del entrenamiento físico en piscina climatizada sobre la capacidad aeróbica de un grupo de niños asmáticos. (Effects of the physical training in a warm-water pool on the aerobic power of a group of asthmatic children.)

“…Entre los estudios revisados hay varios que utilizan la natación como forma de entrenamiento, pero ninguno nombra un entrenamiento físico en piscina climatizada como medio de prevención de AIE. El único que se aproxima es un estudio realizado en Japón (Kurabayashi, 1997) en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), donde utilizaban una piscina a 38º C con agua de manantial para realizar un programa de ejercicios, obteniendo mejoría en parámetros espirométricos pero no mencionan si se desminuían las crisis de broncoespasmo.…”