Effect of pelvic floor muscle combined with pulmonary rehabilitation training on lung function in elderly patients after surgery for intertrochanteric fractures of the femur: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To explore the effects of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) combined with pulmonary rehabilitation training on diaphragm function and lung function in elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture.

Methods: This study was conducted by a randomized controlled single-blind method, 50 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture in Beijing Xiaotangshan Hospital were selected and divided into the combined training group (Experimental group, n = 25) and the lung function training group (Control group, n = 25) by the random number table method. Patients in the combined training group received pelvic floor muscle training combined with lung rehabilitation training, and patients in the lung function training group received lung rehabilitation training. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second/FVC (FEV1/FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were evaluated before and after intervention to analyze the improvement of lung function. Diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) and diaphragm excursion (DE) were used to observe the improvement of diaphragm function.

Results: After 4 weeks of intervention, there were significant differences in lung function and diaphragm function between the two groups compared with the improvement before the intervention, but patients in the combined training group had more significant improvements in FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, DTF, and DE.

Conclusion: Pelvic floor muscle combined with lung function training can improve the diaphragm function more significantly in elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture after operation, and thus affect the lung function of patients.