Physical Therapy of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Significance, Means and Principles

Abstract

Physical rehabilitation, along with the pharmaceutical treatment, is one of the main components of the recovery and the maintenance of health of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The treatment and rehabilitation results of the physical therapy largely depend on the proper use of its means, requiring the knowledge of its principles. The aim of the study was to establish the means and principles of the physical therapy in COPD, the use of which allows achieving the optimal rehabilitation result. The objective – to establish the means and principles of the physical therapy in COPD, the use of which allows achieving the optimal rehabilitation result. Methods. Literature sources for the last 10 years, selected from the electronic databases of the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, Russian Scientific Electronic Library eLIBRARY.RU, Web of Science, PubMed, PEDro. Results. The existing principles of rehabilitation of pulmonologic patients, including those with the COPD were analyzed. The list of physical rehabilitation principles in COPD was formed: a common understanding of the pathogenesis and the clinical disease, influential mechanisms, the medical rehabilitation help effects of physical therapy means; the development and the implementation of an individualized physical therapy program taking into account the peculiarities of the disease of each patient; an early application of physical therapy means; phasing, continuity and sequence of the physical therapy; a complexity, composed and combined application of the physical therapy; an availability of the physical therapy in any conditions of its implementation; an integration of the physical therapy means into the multidisciplinary rehabilitation help; the knowledge of rehabilitation needs, encouragement and active participation of the patient; the focusing of the physical therapy means at the realization of self-care capabilities, a retrieval to a productive labour activity of the patient; involving family or close relatives of the patient to the performing of his or her physical therapy program. Conclusions. The principles of the rehabilitation of pulmonologic patients mentioned above are presented. The list of physical rehabilitation principles in COPD is suggested.