Accessory Inspiratory Muscles Energy Technique effect on Pulmonary Function in COPD Subjects

Aim & Objectives: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) accounts 17 million lives in India, which will rise to 22 million by 2016 & it kills 250 people every hour. Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) portrayed skeletal muscle dysfunction as a significant contributor to severity in these patients resulting in reduced exercise capacity and impaired Quality of life. Muscle Energy technique (MET) had been a well known treatment in musculoskeletal disorders, yet literature supporting its use in chronic respiratory disorders is limited. So the present research is design to study the effects of MET on pulmonary function in COPD subjects and describes its impact on Conventional chest Physiotherapy.

Method: 30 Moderate & Severe staged COPD patients in 40-60 years age group were allocated into two groups: Conventional Chest Physiotherapy (CPT) and Conventional Chest Physiotherapy with MET(CPT + MET) group. Chest expansion, Dyspnea, Exercise tolerance, Respiratory rate, Heart rate, Oxygen saturation and Quality of life were the variables that recorded prior and after the intervention for three days.

Results: Significant improvement was seen in both groups on all 3 days with greater improvements in CPT with MET group in form of increased chest expansion, reduced Dyspnea, increased exercise tolerance, regulation of autonomic dysfunction and improved Quality of life.

Discussion: Study reveals the potential benefits of MET on pulmonary function and its efficacy in upgrading the Conventional chest Physiotherapy in COPD subjects. It also recognizes the importance of management of Accessory Inspiratory muscle dysfunction in providing a better Quality of life in COPD patients.

Conclusion: MET proved to be a highly magnificent technique in improving pulmonary function and must be thus incorporated as a basic part of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD subjects.