Effect of Extremity Exercise in COPD

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the most common respiratory disorder affecting middle age group with progressing of symptoms worsening over time. The respiratory symptoms are persistent with compromised airflow due to small airway disorders or parenchymal abnormalities. The morbidity rate of COPD is about 251 million cases and mortality of 3.17 million per year globally with expected inflation in the future. The disease and death rate are well associated with dysfunction of skeletal muscle and cachexia. The amount of reduction in muscle strength of limbs is directly proportional to the severity of the disease. Dyspnea and decrement in endurance capacity will negatively affect the functional capability and quality of life in people suffering from COPD. Unsupported upper limb endurance training and lower limb endurance training showed significant improvement in Six-minute walk test and Quality of life. Purpose: To determine the effect of Unsupported upper extremity endurance training and Unsupported lower extremity endurance training on dyspnea, lung function and quality of life. Methodology: Study design: Randomized study design Study population: The people suffering from COPD referred by pulmonologist will be contacted for consent after oral explanation and answering all questions. After all the informed consents had been collected, randomization will be performed. The participants are randomly allocated to the Unsupported upper extremity endurance training (Experimental group-1), Unsupported lower extremity endurance training (Experimental group-2) and Conventional (Control group) prior to the first baseline assessment. The intensity of Exercise will be checked by the Original Borgs scale and Medical Research Council scale (MRC) for dyspnea. Outcome measures: Lung function tests measures using PEFR, Airway Questionnaire 20 pre-post to measure the changes in symptoms and functions