COPD: A Multi-center Supervised Tele-rehabilitation Study

Participants will download the web application in their smartphones in the hospital's outpatient clinic and learn to use the sports wristwatch. Remotely supervised telerehabilitation at home will be conducted for 8 weeks, comprising lower limb aerobic training, individualized strength training and respiratory training exercises. The initial aerobic exercise prescription for walking will be set at 80% of the speed walked during a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and progressed each 4-week according to patient assessments. Resistance training for the arms and legs will utilize elastic bands, while respiratory training will utilize portable breathing trainer. During each training session, participants will be asked to follow the videos in the web application, wearing the sports wristwatch recording their exercise intensity. At the end of every training session, training data could be uploaded to the web platform automatically, which will be checked by staff in hospital.

"Participants will undertake an aerobic, strength and respiratory training program of similar intensity and duration to the home-based program, at their site of recruitment.~The initial aerobic exercise prescription for cycling will be set at 60% of the peak oxygen uptake (VO2) on a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Resistance training and respiratory training are similar to the telerehabilitation group."