Effect of respiratory muscle stretch to improve exercise capacity in post coronary artery bypass graft patients: An Experimental study

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of respiratory muscle stretch to improve the exercise capacity in patients with post coronary artery bypass grafting. DESIGN: Pre and post test experimental study design. SETTING: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, KMCH, Coimbatore. PARTICIPANTS: 40 subjects with post coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and divided into two groups, group A and group B each consists of 20 patients. INTERVENTION: Group A received respiratory muscle stretch along with conventional physiotherapy and group B received conventional physiotherapy alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inspiratory muscle strength and exercise capacity were measured by using threshold IMT device and six minute walk test [third and seventh post operative day]. Six minute walk test was performed on seventh day after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. RESULTS: Statistical analysis were done by using paired ‘t’ test and independent ‘t’ test. In paired ‘t’ test there is a significant difference in maximal inspiratory muscle strength within the groups (group A and group B). By using independent ‘t’ test showed, that there is a significant improvement in group A than the group B and there is a significant difference in six minute walk test between the groups. CONCLUSION: From the results, it was concluded, that the respiratory muscle stretch along with conventional physiotherapy improved the exercise capacity and inspiratory muscle strength in post coronary bypass grafting surgery