Search

Gait speed is used increasingly to predict function and future well-being among healthy elderly people as well as for those with long-term medical conditions. When selecting outcome measures such as walking speed, it is important to include the circumstances under which the measurement is made to avoid bias and ensure accurate recommendations. We completed a retrospective chart review of walking test results from patients with chronic lung disease to demonstrate the practical implications of reporting gait speed from either a standing or walking start. In this cohort of 99 patients (55 with COPD), gait speed from a standing start underestimated usual gait speed (difference = 6.1 m/min [5.3-6.9 m/min]) with poor agreement (8 m/min [6.6-9.4 m/min]) between the two methods of reporting speed. The standing start speed incorrectly identified some patients as at higher risk for poor health. In a practical example, gait speed from a standing start produced 11 false-negative evaluations of the ability to complete a road crossing at usual speed. We present walking speeds using both methods, which illustrate the importance of construct validity and measurement protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the study which compared the similarity of peak oxygen uptake (VO2pk) and sytemic responses during field walking tests and during an incremental treadmill test (ITMT) in obese patients with treated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In the study, the subjects underwent ITMT, two 6-minute (min) walk tests (6MWT) and two incremental shuttle walk tests (ISWT). Based on the results, the ISWT could be used instead of ITMT and 6MWT in assessing cardiorespiratory fitness.

The article focuses on a study which examined the effect of coordinating breathing with arm movements on the endurance of hyperinflated patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) performing a lifting task. An overview is given on the breathing of patients with COPD and hyperinflation during physical activity. It reveals that a specific brething strategy can improve the task performance of hyperinflated patients with COPD.

The article presents a study which aims to examine the properties of self-paced walk (SPW) in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Patients having symptomatic chronic respiratory disease, referred for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for a 6-week course, were examined for eligibility. The study reveals that both the mean speed and the SPW time increased after rehabilitation.

The article presents a study to determine whether one-legged exercise training would improve aerobic capacity compared with two-legged training in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Eighteen patients with COPD were randomized to two groups after completing an incremental exercise test. Researchers conclude that reducing the total metabolic demand by using one-legged training improved aerobic capacity compared with conventional two-legged training.

The article focuses on a study, to define the limitations of exercising with a smaller muscle mass, and to determine the endurance time in patients with COPD. Generally, exercise intensity in patients with COPD is limited by the ventilatory system. The study demonstrated that with the help of a smaller muscle mass, ventilatory-limited patients would perform more high-intensity, muscle-specific work. The study observations revealed the effectiveness of using one-legged exercise at the same muscle-specific intensity in extending the duration of exercise among patients with COPD.