Effects of home exercise program given to asthma patients on functional capacity and quality of life

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the rehabilitation program consisting of home exercise training on functional capacity and quality of life in individuals with asthma. A total of 30 individuals diagnosed with asthma and divided into exercise and control groups were included in the study. The groups were separated on a voluntary basis, and our study was a non-randomized controlled study. Demographic information, symptoms and physical information were recorded at the first interview with the patients. Exercise capacity with the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), dyspnea assessment with the Modified Medical Research Board Scale (mMRC), grip strength with a hand dynamometer, quality of life with the Asthma Quality of Life Scale (AQLQ), lower extremity endurance 30 second sit-and-stand test, kinesiophobia was assessed with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale (TKS), static balance was assessed with Single Leg Stance Test (SLST), and dynamic balance was assessed with the Timed Up-Go Test (TUG). While asthmatic individuals in the exercise group were followed up with a home program for 8 weeks, 3 days a week, no exercise was given to the control group. At the end of the study, all volunteers were evaluated and the effects of the home exercise program on the mentioned parameters were examined. As a result of the study, it was found that 6MWD, TUG, 30 second sit-and-stand test, hand grip strength and AQLQ parameters were significantly higher in the exercise group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Although the mMRC dyspnea score decreased in the exercise group and increased in the control group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). There was no significant difference between the exercise and control groups in SLST (p>0.05). In TSK, there was a decrease in the scores of both groups, but this difference was found to be significant only in the control group (p<0.05). Our study showed that the home exercise program applied to individuals with asthma had a positive effect on functional capacity and quality of life. These effects will contribute to the clinicians' treatment program in directing asthmatic patients to the exercise program.