Exercise Training Modalities for People with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease.
• Exercise intolerance is a common and debilitating symptom in COPD patients.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation is a cornerstone of COPD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence for various exercise training modalities in COPD.
• To provide clinicians with information for implementing exercise interventions.
• To describe the rationale, mechanisms, benefits, and prescription for each modality.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of exercise training for COPD.
• Critical appraisal of evidence for aerobic, resistance, and other training types.
• Synthesis of information on benefits and exercise prescription.

Main Results:

• Multiple exercise modalities demonstrate benefits for individuals with COPD.
• Aerobic, resistance, nonlinear periodized, upper limb, and balance training are effective.
• Yoga, Tai Chi, inspiratory muscle training, whole body vibration, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation also show promise.

Conclusions:

• Exercise training is a vital component of COPD care.
• A variety of exercise modalities can be tailored to individual patient needs.
• Evidence supports the integration of diverse exercise interventions into clinical practice for COPD.