Objective: This study focused on a new activity in the respiratory rehabilitation (RR) for patients with chronic respiratory disease(CRD). This study is atempting to know if physical training in immersion add could have a better interest than on ground.
Material and method: A water immersion group (WIG) (n=6) and a dry ground group (DGG) (n=3) have followed 12 sessions of specific physical training (on dry ground or in water immersion) in addition to the classical program of 40 sessions. The 6 minutes walking test (6MWT) and some maximal voluntary strength (MVS) tests have been used in order to quantify advantages of these two groups. Patients have used the Thera-band®, especially the tubings material during specific physical trainings sessions.
Results: There is not a significant distance increasing for the WIG, the DGG and no significant difference for 6MWT’s parameters between these two groups. However, results of the MVS tests for the WIG are higher than the DGG. We also observe that the DGG have scored effort’s perception and the dyspnea’s sensation higher than the WIG for the specific physical training.
Discussion: Physical trainings in water immersion are well tolerated by the patient and allow higher strength results than the physical training on dry ground. Water immersion decreases effort’s perception and the dyspnea’s sensation during specific physical trainings. This new activity diversifies the RR and valids physical trainings in water immersion for patients with CRD.
Keywords: CRD, physical training, 6MWT, Water immersion.