J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  2007 Jun;31(3):346-350.

Clinical Implication of Air Stacking Exercise in Patients with Neuromuscular Diseases

• Kang SW
• Cho DH
• Lee SC
• Moon JH
• Park YG
• Song NK
• Lee SH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of the air stacking exercise on maximal insufflation capacity (MIC) and peak cough flow (PCF) in patients with neuromuscular diseases. METHOD: Two hundred twenty nine neuromuscular patients with vital capacity (VC) below 50% of the predicted normal value were initially evaluated for VC, MIC, PCF, and assisted PCF (APCF). After the first evaluation, these patients were instructed to carry out air stacking exercise periodically, and were re-evaluated after one year.
RESULTS
Forty seven patients were capable of performing air stacking exercise on regular basis, at least twice a day for one year. Among these patients, MIC increased in 28 patients from 1345.4 ml to 1572.9 ml on average (p<0.05), while it decreased in 19 patients from 1740.0 ml to 1325.3 ml on average (p<0.05). In the increasing MIC group APCF increased from 244.6 L/min to 278.1 L/min (p<0.05). In the decreasing MIC group, every value decreased significantly.
CONCLUSION
Air stacking exercise was shown to be capable of increasing MIC and APCF despite the reduction in VC and PCF in patients with neuromuscular diseases.

Keyword

Neuromuscular disease; Maximal insufflation capacity; Peak cough flow; Air stacking exercise; Vital capacity

MeSH Terms

Cough
Humans
Insufflation
Neuromuscular Diseases*
Reference Values
Vital Capacity