A comparative assessment of hand grip exercise and 6-minute walk test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading disease often under-discussed and underdiagnosed causing persistent and chronic obstruction of upper airways. Patients not only suffer respiratory dysfunctions but also, peripheral muscle dysfunction and atrophy leading to muscle fatigue, reduced muscle strength, and endurance impacting exercise capacity, physical activity levels, and decreased ability to perform daily tasks. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines highlight the need to enhance functional status through assessments like Hand Grip Strength and a 6-minute walk test. The study aimed at a comparative assessment of these exercises in COPD patients along with spirometry for diagnosis, and grading and to find out their combined advantages in COPD management. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 110 patients at the Department of Physiology, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, using a questionnaire, and both tests were performed on COPD patients to determine the effectiveness depending on the severity and spirometry results. Results: The recruited patients were classified as per GOLD stages in 4 categories, as disease severity increased, functional and exercise capacity was reduced. There was a negative correlation between GOLD stages and 6-minute walk strength, maximum grip strength, and mean endurance time of COPD patients with r-values of -5.672, -6.874, and -5.879 respectively. Conclusion: COPD patients suffer from functional dysfunctions and exercise limitations, early diagnosis is crucial to limit the severity, and functional tests can play a significant role in determining the health outcomes and improving the quality of life.