Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may have respiratory muscle weakness that can lead to a decrease in functional exercise capacity and poor quality of life. Previous studies on the effects of respiratory muscle training on exercise capacity of these patients have been controversial and there have been few studies on its effects on quality of life. This study is aimed to investigate the effect of respiratory muscle training on functional capacity and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Eighteen patients from the outpatient clinic of Suratthani hospital were randomly assigned to control and exercise groups. Subjects in the exercise group were supervised and trained three times a week for six weeks using a modified apparatus, a u-shaped water manometer, to provide 30% (progressing 5% per week up to 55%) of maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure as training loads. Respiratory muscle strength was measured on a weekly basis. Quality of life score and functional exercise capacity (six minutes walking distance) were obtained before and after the six weeks of training. After the six weeks of training, the exercise group exhibited a 24% increase in maximum inspiratory pressure and a 29% increase in maximum expiratory pressure, while there was no change in the control group. The quality of life score increased by 26% in the exercise group and the six minutes walking distance increased by 13%, while no change occurred in the control group. Respiratory muscle training using the modified u-shaped water manometer can increase inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength, capacity to walk, and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

M.Sc. PHYSIOTHERAPY มหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล ปี 2547

of, Training, pressure, Respiratory, Quality, copd, life, EXPIRATORY, INSPIRATORY, MUSCLE