The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of an interval-based high-intensity inspiratory muscle training (H-IMT) programme on inspiratory muscle function, exercise capacity, dyspnoea and health-related quality of life (QoL) in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A double-blind randomised controlled trial was performed. Sixteen subjects (11 males, mean forced ...

The effects of additional target-flow inspiratory muscle training (TF-IMT) on the performance of the inspiratory muscles, on general exercise capacity, and on psychologic parameters during a pulmonary rehabilitation program (PR) were studied in 40 patients with COPD selected for ventilatory limitation during exercise. The mean age of the patients was 59 years, and the mean FEV1 was approximatel...

In most chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, dyspnoea and functional exercise capacity may improve as a result of inspiratory muscle training (IMT). However, the long-term benefits of IMT have been investigated to a much lesser extent. The present study investigated the short-term and long-term benefits of IMT on inspiratory muscle performance (strength and endurance), exercis...

We investigated the acute physiological responses of tapered flow resistive loading (TFRL) at 30, 50 and 70 % maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax) in 12 healthy adults to determine an optimal load. Increased end-inspiratory rib cage decreased end-expiratory abdominal volumes equally contributed expansion thoracoabdominal tidal volume (captured by optoelectronic plethysmography). A significant d...

Background: Pulmonary complications following valvular heart surgery are common and contribute to increased duration of hospital stay, rate of morbidity, and mortality. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the response of maximum inspiratory pressure and functional capacity to Positive End-Expiratory Pressure device in patients who underwent valvular hea...

OBJECTIVES To develop a reference chart to monitor inspiratory muscle strength during pre-operative inspiratory muscle training for patients at high risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications awaiting coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. DESIGN Secondary data analysis using patients from the intervention arm of a randomised clinical trial. SETTING University medical ce...

AIMS To assess whether a domiciliary programme of specific inspiratory muscle training in stable chronic heart failure results in improvements in exercise tolerance or quality of life. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a randomized controlled trial of 8 weeks of inspiratory muscle training in 18 patients with stable chronic heart failure, using the Threshold trainer. Patients were randomized e...

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of progressive load and fixed load high-intensity inspiratory muscle training on the asymmetry of diaphragm thickness in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty-one stroke patients were assigned to one of three groups: progressive load high-intensity inspiratory muscle training (n = 8), fixed load high-intensity inspiratory muscle training (n = 6), and c...