Patients with COPD frequently have muscle disorders. Pathogenic mechanisms generate significant pathophysiological changes in the locomotor muscles structure, leading to decreased strength, decreased endurance and limited exercise capacity. Pulmonary rehabilitation is the first choice therapy and training overall lower limb endurance is a priority. Even if the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation are no longer to be demonstrated, it is still necessary to optimize the modalities of muscular strengthening. In fact, it is recommended to associate to this global endurance training a specific strengthening of the muscles of the lower limbs. Neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) is a muscular strengthening technique, but this method is not used in usual practice in pulmonary rehabilitation and often only the quadriceps are concerned. In a pulmonary rehabilitation program, including sessions of NMES of the quadriceps femoris and triceps surae could increase its effectiveness. Recent studies suggest that NMES can improve muscle function, exercise tolerance, dyspnea and quality of life in COPD patients. A pilot study compared the effects of the combined quadriceps femoris and triceps surae versus quadriceps alone. The final evaluation showed a greater improvement in exercise capacity in favour of the combined NMES group. Only two studies with small numbers of patients evaluated the effect of combined quadriceps femoris and triceps surae NMES in pulmonary rehabilitation, with encouraging results in terms of functional gain. Further larger studies seem necessary to evaluate the effects of combined quadriceps femoris and triceps surae NMES in pulmonary rehabilitation. The objective of the study is to show that combined quadriceps femoris and triceps surae NMES during a pulmonary rehabilitation program provides a more significant improvement in exercise capacity compared to a standard pulmonary rehabilitation program.
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Walking distance change
Timeframe: Day 0 and Day 28