Objectives: The aim was to investigate whether patients who participated in a mobility program in the ICU performed better on functional status, muscle, mobility, and respiratory assessments upon discharge than patients who received conventional physiotherapy. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Blind evaluation. Patients: Adults with previous functional independence and without contraindications for mobilization were eligible. Interventions: The intervention group participated in an early and progressive mobility program with five levels of activity. The control group underwent the conventional treatment without a preestablished routine. We evaluated functional status, level of activity, respiratory status, muscle strength, and mobility at ICU discharge. Measurements and Main Results: We analyzed 49 patients in the control group and 50 patients in the intervention group. Our data showed patients with better functional status and more functionally independent patients in the intervention group compared with those in the control group (96% vs 44%; p < 0.001). The results of the sit-to-stand and 2-minute walk tests, as well as the results of the maximum voluntary ventilation tests, also varied between the groups. The intervention group had shorter ICU stays than the control group. Higher Barthel index scores were associated with the amount of activity and participation in the protocol. The benefits to functional status remained during follow-up. Conclusions: Patients who participated in an ICU mobility program had better functional status at discharge from the ICU. The other benefits of the program included better performance in the mobility tests and improved maximum voluntary ventilation performance.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review to evaluate the evidence of the use of incentive spirometry (IS) for the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications and for the recovery of pulmonary function in patients undergoing abdominal, cardiac and thoracic surgeries. Methods: Searches were performed in the following databases: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PEDro and Scopus to select randomized controlled trials in which IS was used in the pre-and/or post-operative period in order to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications and/or recover lung function after abdominal, cardiac and thoracic surgery. Two reviewers independently assessed all studies. In addition, the study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Results: Thirty studies were included (14 abdominal, 13 cardiac and 3 thoracic surgery; n=3,370 patients). In the analysis of the methodological quality, studies achieved a PEDro average score of 5.6, 4.7 and 4.8 points in abdominal, cardiac and thoracic surgeries, respectively. Five studies (3 abdominal, 1 cardiac and 1 thoracic surgery) compared the effect of the IS with a control group (no intervention) and no difference was detected in the evaluated outcomes. Conclusion: There was no evidence to support the use of incentive spirometry in the management of surgical patients. Despite this, the use of incentive spirometry remains widely used without standardization in clinical practice.Keywords: incentive spirometry; surgery; postoperative care; postoperative complication; physical therapy; breathing exercise. ResumoObjetivo: Realizar um levantamento da literatura para avaliar as evidências do uso do incentivador respiratório (IR) na prevenção de complicações pulmonares pós-operatórias (CPPs) e recuperação da função pulmonar em pacientes submetidos a cirurgias abdominal, cardíaca e torácica. Métodos: Esta revisão sistemática utilizou as bases de dados Medline, Embase, Web of Science, PEDro e Scopus para selecionar ensaios clínicos randomizados, nos quais o IR foi utilizado nos período pré e/ou pós-operatório, visando prevenir CPP e/ou recuperar função pulmonar após cirurgias abdominal, cardíaca ou torácica. Dois revisores analisaram independentemente os estudos. Além disso, a qualidade dos estudos foi avaliada segundo a escala PEDro. Resultados: Trinta estudos foram incluídos (14 de cirurgia abdominal, 13 de cardíaca e três de torácica; n=3370 pacientes). Na análise de qualidade, os estudos obtiveram média de 5,6, 4,7 e 4,8 pontos nas cirurgias abdominais, cardíacas e torácicas, respectivamente. Cinco estudos (três de cirurgia abdominal, um de cardíaca e um de torácica) compararam o efeito do IR com grupo controle (sem intervenção) e não se verificou diferença nos desfechos estudados. Conclusão: Não se encontraram evidências que subsidiem o uso do IR no manejo de pacientes cirúrgicos.Apesar disso, o uso do IR continua não-padronizado e amplamente difundido na prática clínica.

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BackgroundPatients with COPD present a major recruitment of the inspiratory muscles, predisposing to chest incoordination, increasing the degree of dyspnea and impairing their exercise capacity. Stretching techniques could decrease the respiratory muscle activity and improve their contractile capacity; however, the systemic effects of stretching remain unknown.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aerobic training combined with respiratory muscle stretching on functional exercise capacity and thoracoabdominal kinematics in patients with COPD.DesignThis study was a randomized and controlled trial.ParticipantsA total of 30 patients were allocated to a treatment group (TG) or a control group (CG; n=15, each group).InterventionThe TG was engaged in respiratory muscle stretching and the CG in upper and lower limb muscle stretching. Both groups performed 24 sessions (twice a week, 12 weeks) of aerobic training.EvaluationsFunctional exercise capacity (6-minute walk test), thoracoabdominal kinematics (optoelectronic plethysmography), and respiratory muscle activity (surface electromyography) were evaluated during exercise. Analysis of covariance was used to compare the groups at a significance level of 5%.ResultsAfter the intervention, the TG showed improved abdominal (ABD) contribution, compartmental volume, mobility, and functional exercise capacity with decreased dyspnea when compared with the CG (P<0.01). The TG also showed a decreased respiratory muscle effort required to obtain the same pulmonary volume compared to the CG (P<0.001).ConclusionOur results suggest that aerobic training combined with respiratory muscle stretching increases the functional exercise capacity with decreased dyspnea in patients with COPD. These effects are associated with an increased efficacy of the respiratory muscles and participation of the ABD compartment.

BackgroundFalls are a geriatric syndrome that is considered a significant public health problem in terms of morbidity and mortality because they lead to a decline in functional capacity and an impaired quality of life in the elderly. Lower limb muscle strengthening seems to be an effective intervention for preventing falls; however, there is no consensus regarding the best method for increasing lower limb muscle strength.ObjectivesTo analyze the effectiveness of lower limb muscle strengthening and to investigate and describe the protocols used for preventing falls in elderly subjects.MethodWe performed a systematic review of randomized and controlled clinical trials published between 2002 and 2012 in the databases PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and PEDro that cited some type of lower limb muscle strengthening protocol and that evaluated the incidence of falls as the primary outcome exclusively in elderly subjects. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative analysis was performed by independent reviewers applying the PEDro scale.ResultsThe data obtained from the selected studies showed lower fall rates in the intervention groups compared to controls. Six studies described the lower limb muscle strengthening protocol in detail. High methodological quality was found in 6 studies (PEDro score ≥7/10 points).ConclusionsThe methodological quality of the studies in this area appears to leave little doubt regarding the effectiveness of lower limb strengthening exercises for preventing falls in elderly subjects, however the interventions in these studies were poorly reported.

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The LSA showed adequate reliability, validity and interpretability for life-space mobility assessment of Brazilian community-dwelling older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 783-789.

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