ABSTRACT
Objective:To systematically evaluate the effects of elastic resistance exercise on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods:Randomized clinical trials about elastic resistance exercise for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were searched in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Database and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from inception to September, 2020. Finally, eleven literatures were included, including 9 in English and 2 in Chinese, with a total of 485 patients. The quality of the articles was evaluated using the Cochrane Library systematic review criteria and Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale, and the data were analyzed with RevMan 5.2. The system review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020208659). Results:There was no significant difference in 6 Minute Walking Distance (6WMD) (MD = 1.19, 95%CI -7.02 to 9.39, P = 0.78), COPD Assessment Test (CAT) (MD = -0.43, 95%CI -2.42 to 1.57, P = 0.68) and the muscle strength (MD = 0.23, 95%CI -1.06 to 1.52, P = 0.73), with no high heterogeneity, between elastic resistance exercise group and the conventional resistance exercise group (such as weight training machine, weight training). There was no significant difference in 6MWD (MD = 18.30, 95%CI -8.92 to 45.52, P = 0.19) and CAT (MD = 0.59, 95%CI -3.78 to 2.60, P = 0.72) between the elastic resistance exercise group and the non-resistance exercise group, however, the heterogeneity between them was high. Conclusion:Elastic resistance exercise may be potentially alternative to conventional resistance training. However, the effects of elastic resistance exercise on exercise endurance, quality of life and lung function are still unclear.