Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Patients in the inspiratory muscle training group will be given inspiratory muscle strength training with the Powerbreathe® (inspiratory muscle training device) device at 50% of the maximal inspiratory pressure, 2 sets of 15 minutes a day for a total of 30 min/day or a single set of 30 min/day, 7 days/week for 8 weeks. Patients in the inspiratory muscle training group will continue their respiratory muscle strength training with a home program 6 days a week under the supervision of a physiotherapist 1 day a week. The MIPs of the patients will be re-measured every week and the training workload will be determined at 50% of the new maximal inspiratory pressure.

Thoracic expansion exercises will be given to the control group as a home program. The control group will be asked to do thoracic expansion exercises seven days/week and 120 times/day for eight weeks. The patients in the control group will be called once a week to check their home schedules, and they will be asked to keep a diary.