Effect of Vojta Therapy and Chest Physiotherapy on Preterm Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome-An Experimental Study

Lungs are required for normal breathing of an infant but in preterm infants because of immaturity of lungs there is less surfactant production and accumulation of secretions which causes respiratory distress syndrome. Techniques like chest physiotherapy and vojta therapy have been used to reduce pulmonary secretions in preterm infants but vojta therapy is not been used widely in India in neonatal intensive care units. Therefore the objective of the present study was to identify the effect of chest physiotherapy and vojta therapy both phase 1 and 2 on saturation of peripheral oxygen (SPO₂).

60 non-ventilated preterm infants admitted in neonatal intensive care unit were recruited and randomized into 2 groups. A 6 day intervention of chest physiotherapy to control group and chest physiotherapy along with vojta therapy to experimental group was given thrice a day with each therapeutic session of 30 minutes. An interval of 2 hours was given between each session. Assessment was done comparing the readings of SPO₂ with day 1 and days 6 immediately post intervention. Also readings at interval of 5 minutes, 15 minutes and 25 minutes were recorded and compared through pulse oximeter.

Result showed significant improvement on SPO₂ in both the groups (p<0.001). Short term and long term effects were noticed in both groups with both treatment protocols.