Abstract
This study aims to investigate and compare the effects of conventional breathing exercises and an inspiratory muscle training intervention on clinical symptoms in asthma patients. Sixty asthma patients (40–65 years old) were randomly assigned to either the conventional breathing exercises (BTE) or inspiratory muscle training (IMT) group for a 12-week intervention period. Outcome measurements were performed before and after the intervention, including the spirometry data, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (PImax and PEmax), asthma control test, asthma control questionnaire, six-minute walk test, and three-day physical activity log, were recorded. PImax expressed as % of predicted value controlled for age and gender in healthy subjects (% predicted) increased by 16.92% (82.45% to 99.38%, p < 0.05) in the BTE group and by 29.84% (71.19% to 101.03%, p < 0.05) in the IMT group. Except for forced vital capacity, which was reduced in the BTE group, all other measured variables improved in both groups, and no statistically significant between-group differences were found. IMT appears to be more effective than breathing exercise intervention in promoting improvements in respiratory muscle strength. IMT may act as an alternative to conventional breathing exercises for middle-aged and elderly asthma patients.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
Our results showed that both breathing exercises (BTE) and inspiratory muscle training (IMT) increased respiratory muscle strength, PEmax (PImax only in IMT), which is comparable to the results from previous studies investigating different age populations [8], including BTE programs in elderly asthma patients (>65 years) for 16 weeks [16], asthmatic adults for 12 weeks [43], and moderately asthmatic children (6–17 years) for 6 weeks [44]
Our results suggested that both BTE and IMT induced similar increases in the 6MWD, which is consistent with the results of Majewski et al [26], in which the subjects with bronchial asthma received an 8-week stretching exercise followed by abdominal breathing training
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases, and it affects more than 300 million people worldwide [1]. In Taiwan, the prevalence of asthma is 5.1% in the general population [2]. This disease affects the individual and the whole family and imposes a substantial burden on the healthcare system and the government [3]
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