Effects of an Exercise Rehabilitation Programme With a Nasal Inspiratory Restriction Device in COPD Patients

"Participants carried out a supervised RP for 8 weeks, 3 days per week. The training sessions lasted 60 minutes and included a warning up phase, the main phase and a recovery phase. After each session, Borg's perceived exertion was measured. The Rehabilitation Program (RP) included aerobic exercise on cycle ergometer and on treadmill (progressing since 10' to 30' and since 40 to 75% of the reserve heart rate (RHR) or 6-7 score based on Borg's perceived exertion), strengthening of lower and upper limb muscles groups, breathing exercises (pursed lip breathing, diaphragmatic and abdominal breathing and diaphragmatic mobility) and finally stretching exercises.~In the FB group, for restricted nasal breathing, at the beginning of the training program, the small size device was used (4 mm). The size of the device was progressively increasing according to the patient adaptation to the 5 or 6 mm device, depending on the score on Borg's perceived exertion scale."