1999 OPEN FORUM Abstracts

THE EFFECT OF WATER IMMERSION ON SUBJECTS WITH COPD DURING PEAK LOWER EXTREMITY EXERCISE ON TREADMILL

Mark Millard, MD; Mary Hart, RRT; Ana Lotshaw, PT, CCS; Cara Kraft, RRT Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

We compared maximal treadmill exercise tolerance (water vs. land) in 7 patients with COPD (FEV1 <60% predicted). Treadmill tests were performed on 3 stage intervals with 1 minute rest between stages. Vitals, oxygen saturation, BORG, VO2 and VE were measured at each stage and at peak exercise. At peak level of treadmill exercise, there were no significant differences in VO2, vital signs, O2 saturation, VE, or BORG (RPE) between land and water lower extremity treadmill exercise. However, all of the subjects preferred water exercise to land exercise. None of the subjects experienced dangerous changes in the vital signs or oxygen saturation during testing. Aquatic exercise may be very beneficial for those with COPD and musculoskeletal limitations that make performing exercise on land more difficult and may be an alternative mode of exercise training in a variety of patient populations, including those with pulmonary limitations.

Baylor University Medical Center

OF-99-062