Impact of Respiratory Accessory Muscle Stretching Techniques on Respiratory Function and 6-Minute Walk Distance in patients with Stroke

Stroke causes neurological deficits and physical impairments, including impairments in respiratory function as well as balance and walking that affect survivors’ daily activities. This study aimed to investigate the impact of stretching of respiratory accessory muscles on respiratory function and 6-minute walk distance in patients with stroke. Eighteen male patients diagnosed with stroke were randomly divided into three groups: the PIR group, which received post-isometric relaxation technique, the PS group, which received passive stretching on respiratory accessory muscles, and the control group. All subjects were assessed on respiratory function and 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) tests before and after the 8-week intervention. The results showed that both the PIR and PS groups experienced significant improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) after the intervention, and the PIR group had significantly greater pre-to-post changes in FVC and FEV1 than the control group (Δ FVC= 0.71 L, Δ FEV1= 0.64 L; p<0.01). In addition, 6MWD significantly increased after the intervention in all groups, and the PIR group showed the greatest improvement (Δ=33.24 m, p<0.05). In conclusion, stretching of respiratory accessory muscles, especially the PIR technique, is effective in improving respiratory function and 6-minute walk distance in patients with stroke. These results would provide clinical evidence to support the consideration of PIR stretching in stroke rehabilitation programs to improve overall respiratory function and functional exercise capacity.