Effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Lung Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: A Pretest- Posttest Feasibility Study

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered a global burden with its pulmonary and extra-pulmonary symptoms. The soft tissues surrounding the chest wall are less commonly addressed in planning the treatment for this condition. Therefore, the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) techniques applied to the chest wall and upper limb and their impact on the respiratory and quality of life outcomes can be studied. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of PNF techniques on pulmonary function and health impairment in stable COPD patients. Methods: This feasibility study based pretest posttest was conducted with 14 participants with COPD Manipal Hospital, Bangalore between April to August, 2018. Participants were assessed at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks of PNF intervention. The outcomes were forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ). Results: The FEV1 mean (SD) change of 0.5 ± 0.02 (liter) after 4 weeks of PNF training, thus but FVC and FEV1/FVC did not show statistical significance. Moreover, the respiratory pressures in these patients increased by 0.93 and 0.71 cmH2O in MIP (P < .04) and MEP (P < .01), respectively. St. George respiratory questionnaire components showed improvements post-intervention but were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training seems beneficial on FEV1 and the inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength but health impairment among patients with COPD.