Dose-dependent effects of inspiratory muscle training in neuromuscular disorders

British Thoracic Society guideline for respiratory management of children with neuromuscular weakness

“…There are two longer-term observational studies (9 and 24 months' duration) assessing the effects of respiratory muscle training on mixed population of 43 children and young adults with DMD and SMA 124 125. Both studies showed sustained improvements in respiratory muscle strength and endurance while training was maintained.…”

Guidelines for the physiotherapy management of the adult, medical, spontaneously breathing patient

“…Winkler et al 371 made an attempt to control for the impact of disease progression in DMD and SMA subjects by stratifying groups according to decline in VC in the preceding 12 months. They identified a correlation between the number of successfully completed exercises with improvements in both strength and endurance in the group with a <10% decline in VC, indicating a dose response in this group.…”

Inspiratory muscle training in obstructive lung disease

“…Finally, a dose-dependent effect of IMT has been identified by WINKLER et al [43], who found a significant positive correlation between the number of successfully completed respiratory muscle strength and endurance exercises and the improvement in respiratory muscle function in 10 patients with neuromuscular disorders (r 2 = 0.85 and 0.67 for MIP and maximum voluntary ventilation, respectively). This is confirmed by personal experience, and highlights the value and importance of patients maintaining IMT diaries (figure 4).…”