Effectiveness of Paced Walking to Music at Home for Patients with COPD

The use of rhythmic music is beneficial in assisting with the exercise intensity at home. This paper investigated the effects of paced walking to music at home with an 80% VO2 peak for patients with COPD. A prospective randomized clinical trial consisting of a treatment group (n = 20) assigned to a 12-week period of paced walking to music at home, while the patients in the control group (n = 21) were only given educational information. The treatment response was measured based on the patient's score in the maximal exercise capacity test using the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT), lung function, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) using the Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and their health care utilization during baseline, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks. The treatment group increased their distance in the ISWT from 243.5 +/- 135.4 at baseline to 16 weeks (306.0 +/- 107.3, p < 0.001), Borg RPE-D decreased from 2.2 +/- 1.3 at baseline to 0.8 +/- 1.1 (p < 0.001) at 16 weeks, and Borg RPE-L decreased from 1.2 +/- 1.4 at baseline to 0.3 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.05) at 16 weeks, and improved all of the domains of the SGRQ, compared to the control group. The paced walking to music at home program helps patients to achieve a higher-intensity exercise. It is easily incorporated into the care of COPD patients, providing them with a convenient, safe and enjoyable exercise.