Muscle energy technique for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A feasibility study

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Physical Therapy
• Integrative Medicine

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impacts quality of life.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cornerstone of COPD management.
• Exploring adjunct therapies to enhance PR is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and safety of integrating muscle energy technique (MET) into a hospital's PR program.
• To evaluate patient acceptability and adherence to MET in moderate to severe COPD patients.
• To determine the safety profile of MET as an adjunct to PR.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week study involving patients aged 40+ with moderate to severe COPD.
• Participants received both standard PR and semi-standardized MET.
• Feasibility measured by acceptability and attendance; safety by adverse events (AEs).

Main Results:

• 33 participants enrolled; 83% attendance for the 6 possible MET sessions.
• Patients reported enjoying MET, with some experiencing subjective breathing improvements.
• No major AEs directly linked to MET; most AEs were expected COPD exacerbations.

Conclusions:

• Implementing a manual therapy protocol using MET is feasible within a hospital PR setting.
• Satisfactory recruitment rates and no MET-related AEs support its integration.
• MET can be safely offered as an adjunct therapy in pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD.