Physical therapy in chronic obstructive lung disease [COLD] in some Egyptian industries

ABSTRACT

Fifteen workers with COLD from a jute and hemp plant, and Twenty three workers with chronic obstructive. They were assessed by ventilatory function tests and then subjected to special physical therapeutic pulmonary exercises namely postural drainage, chest percussion, vibration and cough enhancement. Reevaluation of the symptoms after physiotherapy showed improvement as all symptoms were less severe after therapy than before it [Table 2]. There was significant increase in FEV1% [p< 0 .01] where the mean FEV1% increased from 57.07 before physiotherapy to 70.76 after treatment. The FCV% showed insignificant increase after treatment [Table 4] but the values of FVC% already good before starting treatment. The rate of change in FEV1% with physical therapy among smokers did not show significant correlation with the duration of exposure. So, we can recommend physiotherapy for all workers showing obstructive bronchitis whether they are smokers or non - smokers and whether exposed to jute dust for short or long periods. We conclude that, physiotherapy is beneficial in cases of chronic abstructive bronchitis in the nitrate fertilizer industry, especially those working in the packing section who were exposed to the cacium nitrate test. Smokers and non - smokers benefit from physiotherapy, but non - smokers showed better degree of improvement. All the age groups showed improvement with physiotherapy