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Updated: May 1, 2026

Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
Upper-Body Resistance Training and Self-Efficacy Enhancement in COPD
Margaret K Covey1, Edward McAuley2, Mary C Kapella1
1Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.
Comprehensive upper-body resistance training significantly improved muscle strength and lean arm mass in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Strength gains were partially maintained with a home exercise program, suggesting resistance training benefits COPD patients.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Exercise Physiology
- Skeletal Muscle Adaptation
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with significant loss of skeletal muscle strength.
- Upper-body muscle weakness can impair functional capacity and quality of life in COPD patients.
- Targeted resistance training may counteract muscle decline in COPD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of comprehensive upper-body resistance training (UBR) combined with a self-efficacy intervention on muscle strength in COPD.
- To assess the effects of UBR and self-efficacy enhancement on COPD symptoms, functional status, and exercise adherence.
- To compare UBR interventions against a control group performing gentle chair exercises.
Main Methods:
- A randomized trial involving three groups: UBR with self-efficacy enhancement (UBR + SE), UBR with health education (UBR + HE), and chair exercises with health education (CE + HE).
- Participants underwent 16 weeks of supervised training followed by 12 months of home-based maintenance.
- Primary outcomes included muscle strength, dyspnea, functional status, self-efficacy, and adherence.
Main Results:
- UBR + SE resulted in a 46% strength increase, compared to 36% for UBR + HE (P=0.054).
- Combined UBR groups showed a 41% strength increase versus 11% in the CE + HE group (P < 0.001).
- UBR interventions increased lean arm mass and showed a trend toward reduced dyspnea; strength gains were partially retained during maintenance.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive resistance training effectively increases upper-body strength and lean arm mass in COPD patients.
- A home-based program using hand weights can help maintain strength gains achieved through resistance training.
- Upper-body resistance training may offer benefits for dyspnea, and self-efficacy interventions could enhance outcomes.
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