Combined Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training with Pilates on Dyspnea, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Quality of Life in Asthma Patients

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that compromises cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life due to persistent dyspnea and airway inflammation. While Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) has shown benefits in strengthening respiratory muscles, its limited scope fails to address postural and musculoskeletal deficits. There is a research gap regarding the combined effects of IMT and Pilates on multidimensional asthma outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the combined effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training and Pilates exercises on dyspnea, cardiorespiratory fitness, and quality of life in patients with asthma, compared to IMT alone. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 52 clinically stable asthma patients (n = 52) recruited from Gulab Devi Chest Hospital, Lahore, using simple random sampling. Participants were allocated into Group A (IMT + Pilates) and Group B (IMT only), receiving three weekly sessions for six weeks. Primary outcomes included dyspnea (Modified Borg Scale), cardiorespiratory fitness (Six-Minute Walk Test), and quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire). Ethical compliance followed the Declaration of Helsinki, with written informed consent obtained. Data were analyzed using SPSS v25, applying t-tests, ANOVA, and non-parametric equivalents based on data distribution. Results: Group A showed significantly greater improvements in 6MWT distance (401.9 ± 30.9 vs. 336.1 ± 41.5; p < 0.05), post-intervention symptom scores (69.56 ± 10.92 vs. 79.14 ± 13.16; p = 0.009), and quality of life metrics compared to Group B. Conclusion: The integration of Pilates with Inspiratory Muscle Training offers superior clinical outcomes in asthma management by enhancing respiratory function, functional capacity, and overall quality of life, suggesting a viable, non-pharmacological adjunct for pulmonary rehabilitation.