Effect of Whole Body Exercise Program in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients

Abstract

This study was developed to investigate the influence of whole body exercise program in the level of force expiratory volume at the first second and shortness of breath in patients with COPD.
Design: A prospective, cross-sectional study.
Setting: Morjan Hospital.
Patients: Sixteen patients with COPD were estimated.
Measurements and results: Force expiratory volume at the first second (FEV1) and shortness breath were measured, there is a difference not significant between the two tests pre and post in measuring FEV1, whereas the value of calculated T is (2.3). The level of shortness of breath (Borg Scale) shows that the difference is not significant between the two tests pre and post as the value of calculated T (1.91) which is smaller than the value of tabular T (2.57). A significant difference between pre and post tests in the ratio of FEV1 measured in terms of the value of the calculated T (2.91) which is greater than the value of tabular T, the level of shortness of breath shows significant difference between the two tests pre and post as the value of calculated T (3.6) which is greater than the value of tabular T (2.57), this means that the rehabilitation program had an impact on the proportion of FEV1 and the level of shortness of breath in patients with COPD for the experimental group.
Conclusions: The results of this study showed the importance of the whole body exercise program to improve FEV1 and shortness of breath in COPD patients.