Estudo piloto do efeito da associação do exercício resistido de membros inferiores e treinamento aeróbio na capacidade física do portador de DPOC

Abstract

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), beyond pulmonary alterations have impaired in the physical capacity and exercise tolerance. The pulmonary rehabilitation leads to improvement of exercise performance, decreasing dyspnea and fatigue, with aerobic and strength exercises. The strength training of lower limbs becomes important because peripheral muscle weakness is one of the responsible for the reduction of exercise capacity. Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of the association of lower limbs strength exercise with aerobic exercise in the physical capacity of patients with COPD. Methods: 10 patients were randomized: group I - aerobic training and global strength (n=5) and group II - aerobic and strength training of upper limbs (n=5). We analyzed strength (incremental and one repetition maximum test), submaximal physical capacity (six-minute walk test and endurance test) and maximal physical capacity (incremental and cardiopulmonary test). Results: Both group had significant increases in the walk test distance and lower limbs strength, however the significant statistically differences had been seen only in endurance test time and lactate threshold time in group I, and in upper limbs strength in group II. Conclusion: The association of lower limbs strength exercise with aerobic exercise can be considered an additional modality to the pulmonary rehabilitation for achieves improvements in physical capacity of these patients.