Pilates Exercises in Patients with Inhalation Injury

Extra lung mucus secretions, injured mucosa, contaminants, and aspirated substances should be handled in their early stages. In the case of fibrinous material transudates, compromised mucociliary secretions and mucosal slough must be cleared. There are different methods to assist the clearance of secretions as bronchoscopy, ventilator, mucolytics, suction, and chest physiotherapy.

In Pilates method (PM), several muscles are activated, including the muscles involved in breathing, especially to improve the expiratory function, which remains contracted during the inspiratory and expiratory phase. Breathing control is fundamental during the execution of PM exercises, where the practitioner learns how to breathe properly as an essential part of each exercise through forceful exhaling followed by complete inhaling. Thus, adequate breathing aids in controlling movements, and therefore, the method can be regarded as an indirect strategy for respiratory muscle training. It is known that poor control of breathing can result in compensation and lung volumes and respiratory muscle performance, with several factors involved.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients in both sexes and their age will range from 20-50 years.
• Six weeks after deep second-degree thermal burn with inhalation injury (until complete healing) with 35%-40% total body surface area (TBSA).
• Patients suffering from retained secretions which did not respond to medical treatment. (4) All patients should be clinically and medically stable.

(5) All patients should have the same medical treatment.

Exclusion criteria

• Participants with a history of regular physical activity (regular exercise habit > 3 times/ week or >150 min/ week) in the last 6 months.
• Participants with less than an 85% attendance rate at the sessions.
• Participants with any dysfunction that limit physical activity such as neurological disorders, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, uncontrolled hypertension, malignancy, cardiovascular diseases, deep vein thrombosis, rheumatoid arthritis, orthopedic problems, such as fracture on the pelvic or limbs, a visual impairment, or hearing impairments and contractures.
• Smokers.
• Pregnant females.
• Obese participants (BMI > 30 kg/m2).
• Participants use non-invasive mechanical ventilation and intubation or need for intensive clinical support and/or transfer to the Intensive Care Unit.