Short CommunicationEnhancement of daily physical activity increases physical fitness of outclinic COPD patients: Results of an exercise counseling program
Introduction
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by cough, phlegm, dyspnea, decreased exercise tolerance and exacerbations. COPD patients may enter a downward spiral of symptom-induced inactivity leading to lack of fitness and a reduced quality of life. It has been demonstrated that during 1 day, COPD patients spend more time sitting and lying down and less standing and walking than age-matched healthy controls [1]. To reverse this vicious circle of inactivity it is important to prevent the decrease in daily physical activity or even to enhance it.
Enhancement of low-to-moderate-intensity daily physical activity has proven to be effective in strengthening health-related fitness and quality of life in healthy older adults [2], [3]. Because COPD patients frequently suffer from ventilatory limitations and oxygen uptake problems, low-to-moderate-intensity physical activities seem an appropriate level to enhance their physical fitness [4]. To monitor enhancement of daily physical activity pedometers have shown to be effective in healthy people as well as in various patients groups [5], [6], [7], [8]. Pedometers are also key in triggering enhancement of daily physical activity [9], [10], [11], [12]. In addition, exercise counseling has shown to be effective in tailoring the needs and circumstances of individual patients in the process of behavioral modification [13], [14].
In this study, we investigated whether a 12-week pedometer-based exercise counseling strategy is feasible and effectively enhances daily physical activity in COPD patients who do not participate in a rehabilitation program.
Section snippets
Participants and recruitment
Patients with stable COPD visiting the outpatient clinic of the pulmonary department of Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen were approached to participate in this study. Inclusion criteria were diagnosis of COPD and age between 45 and 75 years. Exclusion criterion was significant comorbidity interfering with physical activity. The study was approved by the local medical ethical committee of University Medical Centre Groningen and all patients signed a written informed consent.
Measurements
All measurements were
Results
The flow of participants through the study is shown in Fig. 1. Descriptive characteristics at baseline are shown in Table 2.
Discussion
Our study shows that a 12-week pedometer-based exercise counseling strategy is feasible and effectively enhances daily physical activity, physical fitness, health-related quality of life and intrinsic motivation in COPD patients who do not participate in a rehabilitation program.
COPD patients in the exercise counseling group increased their number of steps by 11%. COPD patients who took less than 10,000 steps/day at baseline increased their number of steps by about 19%. This corresponds with
Conclusion
Our study shows that a 12-week pedometer-based exercise counseling strategy is feasible and effectively enhances daily physical activity, physical fitness, health-related quality of life and intrinsic motivation in outclinic COPD patients.
Conflict of interest
Herewith we state that none of the authors had any actual or potential conflict of interest including any financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations within 3 years of beginning the submitted work that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence, their work.
Funding: This study was supported by a research grant from Boehringer Ingelheim B.V. The funding source(s) had no involvement in the study.
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