1West Fort Hi Tech Hospital, Pookunnam, Thrissur.
2Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College Mangalore.
3Dept. of Pulmonary Medicine, Jubilee Mission Medical College, Kerala.
4Department of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases (PTCD), Kasturba Medical College Mangalore.
To compare the effect of unsupported upper limb and lower limb exercises training and their cumulative influence on exercise performance and health related quality of life in COPD patients.
Thirty patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups through block randomization. Of the three groups, group A received upper limb training, group B received lower limb training and group C received both upper limb and lower limb training. Patients in group A, B and C underwent exercise training five times a week for four weeks.
Out come measure used in the study were Unsupported upper limb endurance test (UULEX) 6-Minute Walk Test and Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software for window (version 14.0). Alpha value was set as.05. Analysis of variance, Wilcoxon scale and Kruskal Wallis One way ANOVA test was used in the study.
Upper limb training, lower limb training and combined training resulted in significant improvement in exercise performance and health related quality of life. Comparison between lower limb and combined training did not show significant difference in 6 minute walk test and CRQ. The present study concludes addition of upper limb to lower limb training will not cause a change in exercise performance and quality of life.
