Weight Training Benefits in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Controlled Crossover Study

Abstract

In normal persons, aerobic training improves cardiopulmonary function through sustained activity at a relatively high intensity of effort. However, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) realize little benefit from aerobic exercise because their respiratory mechanics terminate activity before an aerobic training effect is achieved. A second major mode of exercise is anaerobic training, which includes weight training. When normal persons train by lifting weights, they increase their strength and reduce their lactic acidosis on exercise. We had observed that more muscular appearing patients with COPD seemed to be less physically disabled in activities of daily living than other patients who had similar degrees of airway obstruction but were less muscular. Methods: On the basis of these observations we undertook a home weight training program, using patients with COPD, in order to evaluate their response to anaerobic training. Results: Using a controlled crossover design, a group of 10 patients substantially increased 50% of their strength tests after only 6 weeks of home training. In addition, the lifters improved their pulmonary ventilation during bicycle ergometry by reducing their tidal volume by 11% (P<0.01) and their minute ventilation by 16% (P <0.001) while increasing their maximal exercise capacity by 11.5%—whereas the controls failed to change. We conclude that patients with COPD respond to anaerobic weight training and improve their exercise tolerance by significantly lowering their minute ventilation on effort.