Inspiratory Muscle Training in Adults With Cerebral Palsy: Long Term Effects: A Double-Blind Randomized, Controlled Trial.
Carlos Martin-Sanchez, Fausto Jose Barbero-Iglesias, Victor Amor-Esteban and 2 others
PMID 40539466WHAT IT FOUND
Eight weeks of inspiratory muscle training improved breathing muscle strength in adults with cerebral palsy, but gains faded by 12 weeks and were mostly gone by 24 weeks.
Training at 40% of maximum inspiratory pressure held up better than 20%.
Key findings
01At 24 weeks, the earlier gains in maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure were no longer significant.
02In the high-load group, maximum inspiratory pressure remained significantly above baseline at 24 weeks, while in the low-load group it did not.
03By 24 weeks, forced expiratory volume in 1 second and peak expiratory flow were significantly below baseline overall.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 26 participants completed all assessments, and the paper states the study could detect only very large effects. There was no untreated control group, so changes over 24 weeks cannot be compared with the natural course of cerebral palsy or usual care alone. The sample was institutionalised adults with cerebral palsy who could score above 12 on a cognitive screen, and most had severe motor impairment, so results may not apply to less affected or community-dwelling adults. The trial measured respiratory pressures and flow, not patient-important outcomes such as breathlessness, quality of life, participation, or falls. Caregivers supervised all sessions and adherence was 100%, which may not reflect home training without close support. Table 1 reports a high-load group size of 3 while other text says 13 per group completed, leaving uncertainty in baseline group reporting.
Declared interests
Funded by the Professional College of Physiotherapists of Castilla y Leon. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that an 8-week course gives lasting respiratory benefit. Participants also continued usual physiotherapy, and there was no untreated control. At 24 weeks, gains were mostly lost, and some low-load measures were below baseline.