THE EFFECT OF UPPER EXTREMITY EXERCISES ON DYSPNEA AND LIFE QUALITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Dyspnea is the most important symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Training and exercise in symptom management improve the physical and psychological condition of patients, increase their compliance with treatment and quality of life. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of upper extremity exercises performed by a specialist nurse without using extra tools on dyspnea. The study was conducted with 78 patients with COPD, including 39 exercise and 39 control group. The patients in exercise group carried out upper extremity exercise for 30 minutes, 3 times a week throughout 8 weeks and the clinical course of the control group was not interfered. At the end of 8 weeks, patients were compared in terms of their symptom scores and scale point averages. Patient Identification Form, Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire, Medical Research Council, Modified Borg Scale, COPD Evaluation Test, 6minute walk test distance criteria and oxygen saturation measurements were used in the collection of data. It was discovered that of the participants involved in the study, 92.3% of cases were males, the average age in exercise group was 58.00±5.94 and it was 55.87±8.09 in the control group. In the 8th week, it was observed that the distance increased for the majority of patients in exercise group in 6-minute walk and with regard to COPD evaluation test, Medical Research Council, Modified Borg Scale dyspnea score average reduced. Upper extremity exercises that had been regularly applied to patients with COPD for 8 weeks under the supervision of attending nurse were observed to be effective in elevating patients’ life quality.