Effect of inspiratory muscle training on respiratory capacity and walking ability with subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled pilot trial.
Kyeong-Man Jung, Dae-Hyouk Bang
PMID 28265169WHAT IT FOUND
In subacute stroke inpatient rehab, with usual physical and occupational therapy, both inspiratory muscle training and cycle exercise improved breathing and walking measures.
The inspiratory training group had greater gains in breathing capacity, one-second breathing volume and six-minute walk, not oxygen saturation or 10-meter speed.
Key findings
01After intervention, both groups changed significantly from baseline in FVC, FEV1, 10MWT and 6MWT.
02Post-intervention between-group differences favored the inspiratory muscle training group for FVC (p=0.049), FEV1 (p=0.009) and 6MWT (p=0.048).
03No post-intervention between-group difference was found for SpO2 (p=0.180) or 10MWT (p=0.093).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 12 participants, so it is a pilot and the results may be unstable. No follow-up period was reported, so it is unknown whether the changes lasted after four weeks. All participants also received traditional physical therapy and occupational therapy, and the control group received cycle exercise, so the contribution of inspiratory muscle training alone cannot be separated. The paper does not identify a primary outcome, and it compares several measures. The inclusion criteria required ability to use a cycle ergometer and walk 100 meters with or without assistance, so the results may not apply to patients who cannot do these tasks.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that inspiratory muscle training alone improves walking speed. The 10-meter walk time did not differ between groups (p=0.093), and all participants also received traditional physical therapy and occupational therapy.