Physical training and asthma
Both the Cochrane review on physical training7 and our
review shows improvement on cardiopulmonary endurance
and fitness (VO2max). Although the Cochrane review7 did not
demonstrate this, our review found significant improvements
in quality of life and symptoms after following
physical training.
Interestingly, the emphasis on specific outcome measures
has changed over the years. In the Cochrane reviews
lung function was a very important outcome measure, often
there were no data available from the various studies on
symptoms, quality of life or asthma exacerbations. In
recent studies it is exactly the opposite. Subjective outcome
measures have become increasingly important, as
this is the most important for the patient.
This review shows that the effect of physiotherapy in
children suffering from asthma is poorly studied, whereas
this is the group of patients in which asthma complaints
most often start, in which participation in sport and school
is of great importance and where, as a consequence,
a large profit can be obtained. In our review more than half
of the included studies have used an adult patient population.
Only nine studies performed research among children
with asthma, seven of these are trials on physical
exercises. Based on these seven studies, a conclusion can
be drawn about the additional value of physical exercises
specific in children with asthma, but for breathing exercises
and IMT this will be difficult.