title: Prone immersion physical exercise therapy in three children with cystic fibrosis: a pilot study.
abstract: Prone immersion physical exercise therapy has been used successfully in the physical rehabilitation of middle-aged adults with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The purpose of this pilot project was to evaluate the effects of PIPE therapy in children with cystic fibrosis. Three children with CF, two boys aged 6 and 14 years and one girl aged 15 years, voluntarily participated in the experimental training program. The patients performed individualized group exercise three times a week on alternate days for 28 consecutive weeks at an intensity of approximately 75 percent aerobic capacity. Duration of exercise gradually increased from 15 (3 x 5 minutes) to 60 (3 x 20 minutes) minutes while the rest period after each exercise was constant at two minutes. PIPE training resulted in increased physical work capacity and maximal oxygen consumption in all three subjects. Curiously, these changes were not accompanied by training bradycardia.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001919:Bradycardia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011187:Posture