BACKGROUND: Physical exercise intervention in pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended to increase strength, endurance, and flexibility in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, certain physical intervention may be restrictive to COPD patients, as it induces fatigue and shortness of breath. Mawangdui exercise, a low-to-medium-intensity aerobic exercise, has been gaining popularity in China as an adjuvant physical therapy, particularly for patients with contraindications to exercise, to improve their health.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of the traditional Chinese Mawangdui exercise for patients with COPD in a mild to moderate stable stage.
METHODS: A total of 54 COPD patients in stable stage (Mawangdui group, n = 27; control group, n = 27) were enroled for a period of 12-weeks. The Mawangdui group practised the Mawangdui exercise, while the control group maintained daily activities without additional exercise. The outcomes measurements were pulmonary function, exercise capacity, back-leg-chest muscle strength, sit-and-reach flexibility, dyspnoea symptoms, and quality of life. The outcomes were assessed at baseline, 24 h, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks post-intervention.
RESULTS: Improvements were observed for Borg CR-10 score, SpO2, BMI, body fat%, fat mass, flexibility mMRC, and SGRQ scores (p
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