Does respiratory muscle training have an impact on lung function tests in children with cerebral palsy (CP)?

Abstract

This systematic review has presented consistently good evidence favouring the use of RMT in children with CP to improve FVC, FEV1 and PEF along with respiratory muscle strength. Some moderate to high quality evidence also showed that ISE is more effective than threshold-loading IMT in improving lung function. However, there is insufficient evidence to corroborate significant improvement in the FEV1/FVC ratio, VC, TV, IRV and ERV after RMT. These findings suggest that the use of IMT at moderate to high intensity is effective in improving respiratory muscle strength. However, these results do not report whether high intensity is recommended over low intensity. Low intensity can also be effective in improving respiratory muscle and, thus, further studies are required to examine the effectiveness of IMT at low intensity on respiratory muscle strength in children with CP.