Supplemental Oxygen Utilization During Physical Therapy Interventions

Abstract

ABSTRACT/SUMMARY The use of supplemental oxygen is an important component of disease management in many patients who demonstrate hypoxemia at rest and/or with activity since supplemental oxygen can assist individuals in improvement of functional performance. Although the evidence on the use of long term or intermittent supplemental oxygen is not particularly robust, the majority of the evidence supports the use of supplemental oxygen to improve exercise tolerance and prevent long term effects of hypoxemia such as pulmonary hypertension and subsequent cor pulmonale. A need exists for recommendations on the use of supplemental oxygen in the clinical setting as physical therapists are often required to utilize supplemental oxygen with patients in all settings but currently no national recommendations, position statements, or guidelines exist for physical therapy practice. This position statement, developed following an extensive search of the literature, provides the following guidelines for physical therapists regarding assessment and management of supplemental oxygen for patients with cardiopulmonary diseases.To safely maximize and optimize the functional ability of the patient, the role of the physical therapist is to: (1) assist with titration of supplemental oxygen,(2) discuss in safety with activity, (3) present appropriate exercise prescriptions to increase functional performance, and (4) instruct patients in use of appropriate breathing exercises to optimize supplemental oxygen and decrease breathlessness.