Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Breathing Pattern in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The improvement in inspiratory muscle function might result in beneficial changes in breathing pattern during whole body exercise. The hypothesis is the effect of inspiratory muscle training as an adjunct to a pulmonary rehabilitation program improves the breathing pattern during an incremental cycle exercise.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Clinically stable COPD patients
• maximal inspiratory pressure <100% of the predicted normal value

Exclusion Criteria:

• Major comorbidities preventing successful participation in an 8 week exercise training intervention