[Clinical effects of four weeks of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

We developed a program of respiratory muscle stretch gymnastic (RMSG), and measured lung function, exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life before and after 4 weeks of training with this program. Thirteen patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (mean FEVi, 1.24 liters) began the program. They participated in three sessions of RMSG each day. Twelve patients completed all 4 weeks. RMSG significantly (p < 0.01) decreased functional residual capacity (from 4.19 +/- 1.27 to 3.88 +/- 1.03 liters), total lung capacity (from 5.98 +/- 1.35 to 5.66 +/- 1.20 liters), residual volume (from 3.29 +/- 1.16 to 2.89 +/- 0.89 liters), and residual volume as a percent of total lung capacity (from 53.9 +/- 11.2% to 50.6 +/- 9.74%). The distance walked in 6 min increased by an average of 43 +/- 30 meters (+ 15%, p < 0.01). Dyspnea after a 6-minute walk (measured with a 150-mm visual analog scale) decreased significantly (from 65.1 +/- 40.8 to 36.1 +/- 36.8, p < 0.05). Quality of life was measured with the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire of Guyatt, et al., and was found to have improved significantly. Respiratory muscle stretch gymnastics may be useful in pulmonary rehabilitation.