Combining respiratory muscle training with feedback electrical stimulation can improve the pulmonary functioning and respiratory muscle strength of stroke survivors / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe any short-term effect of combining respiratory muscle training with feedback respiratory electrical stimulation on the pulmonary function and respiratory muscle strength of stroke survivors.Methods:Sixty stroke survivors were randomly divided into an observation group ( n=30) and a control group ( n=30). Both groups were given conventional rehabilitation 6 days a week for 3 weeks, but the observation group also received respiratory muscle training with feedback electrical stimulation. Before and after the treatment, both groups′ pulmonary functioning and respiratory muscle strength were measured, and also their trunk control, skill in the activities of daily living and fatigue level. The trunk impairment scale (TIS), modified Barthel index (MBI) and fatigue severity scale (FSS) were used. The incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) was also compared between the two groups. Results:After the treatment, average forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, maximum voluntary ventilation, peak expiratory flow, maximum inspiratory pressure, maximum expiratory pressure, as well as the average TIS and MBI scores of both groups had improved significantly, and there was a significant decrease in the average FSS scores. After the intervention, all of the average measurements of the experimental group were significantly better than the control group′s averages except their MBI scores. There was no significant difference in the incidence of SAP.Conclusions:Three weeks of respiratory muscle training combined with electrical stimulation feedback can effectively improve the pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength and inspiratory muscle endurance of stroke survivors, resulting in better coughing ability, trunk control and reduced fatigue.