Resistive inspiratory muscle training: Its effectiveness in patients with acute complete cervical cord injury

Objective: To evaluate if resistive inspiratory muscle training (RIMT) can improve lung function in patients with complete tetraplegia within half a y ear after trauma. Design: A prospective study. The experimental patients received training wi th a Diemolding Healthcare Division inspiratory muscle trainer for 15 to 20 minutes per session, twice per day, 7 days a week for 6 weeks. Setting: Hospital-based rehabilitation units. Patients: Twenty patients who were in their first 6 months of complete cerv ical cord injury were randomly enrolled into RIMT(10 patients) and control( 10 patients) groups. Main Outcome Measure: Spirometry, lung volume test, maximal inspiratory pre ssure, maximal expiratory pressure, and modified Borg scale measurements at rest were performed before training and at the end of 6 weeks of training. Results: Most of the pulmonary parameters showed statistically significant improvements within the RIMT and control groups, but the improvements were greater in the RIMT group. In addition, the improvements in total lung capa city, total lung capacity predicted percentage. viral capacity, minute vent ilation, forced expiratory volume in 1 second predicted percentage, and the resting Borg scale in the RIMT group showed significantly greater improvem ent. Conclusion: RIMT can improve ventilatory function, respiratory endurance, a nd the perceived difficulty of breathing in patients with complete cervical spinal cord injury within half a year after trauma.