A Comparative Study between Conventional Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise and Virtual Reality-based Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise on Quality of Life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: A Randomized Control Trial

Background and Aim: Breathing exercise is an exercise intended to promote effective and healthy breathing and breathing control. Virtual reality (VR) is defined as a computer-generated simulation, such as a set of images and sounds that represent a real place or situation that can be interacted with...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sridhar Shirodkar, Medha Deo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2024-05-01
Series:Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences
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Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/amhs.amhs_224_23
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Summary:Background and Aim: Breathing exercise is an exercise intended to promote effective and healthy breathing and breathing control. Virtual reality (VR) is defined as a computer-generated simulation, such as a set of images and sounds that represent a real place or situation that can be interacted within a seemingly real or physical way by a person using special electronic equipment. Breathing exercises with VR have shown benefits over conventional diaphragmatic breathing exercises in normal individuals in many new studies. We propose the use of a novel VR-based approach as a respiratory biofeedback to improve breathing patterns in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, decrease their work of breathing, and improve breathing control. Materials and Methods: In a randomized controlled study involving 72 COPD patients divided into two groups of 36 in each, the control and experimental groups performed a short 5 min breathing exercise for 6 consecutive days. In experimental group patients performed breathing exercise with VR goggles while in controls they performed without VR goggles. Results: Both the control and experimental groups showed improved changes in vitals and better quality of life, but not statistically as significant when compared to each other. Conclusion: Future studies need to address the long-term effects and stability of the results with a larger sample size, compare the approach with the existing treatments, and make the required smaller changes to the program for better outcomes.
ISSN:2321-4848
2321-6085