The effect of exercises using the half-cut pole on thorax mobility of patients operated with video-assisted thoracic surgery.

Abstract

[Purpose] We analyzed the effect of the stretch exercise using the half-cut(HC) pole on the patients of thoracic surgery. [Subjects] The subjects were 25 patients (male: 16, female: 9, mean age: 73.8 ys) who underwent the lobectomy or pulmonary segmental resection with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). [Methods] After operation, patients exercised by the Sylvester method and the twister exercise using HC pole. The effect of HC pole exercise was evaluated with 1) thorax expansion (upper, middle and lower levels of thorax), 2) respiratory function, 3) selfevaluation of deep breathing before operation, and pre-and post-exercise after operation. [Results] After operation, the thorax expansion of each part significantly decreased compared with pre-operation (p<0.05). The thorax expansion in upper level significantly improved after HC pole exercise (p<0.05), but the improvement of thorax expansioninmiddle and lower level was not recognized. The respiratory function did not change significantly, but the self-evaluation of deep breathing improved after HC pole exercise. [Conclusion] It was suggested that HC pole exercise improved the thorax mobility.