Inspiratory Muscle Training Immediately After Lung Transplantation

Following lung transplantation (LTX), patients may exhibit respiratory and skeletal muscle weakness that will affect exercise capacity, increase dyspnea and fatigue, limit activities of daily living (ADL) and decrease quality of life. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been extensively studied in a variety of non-LTX populations and research has shown that IMT improves exercise capacity, diaphragmatic thickness, and reduced dyspnea during activities of daily living and improved quality of life in patients with advanced lung disease. The aim of this randomized controlled study is to investigate the benefits of providing inspiratory muscle training via use of an inspiratory muscle trainer device in addition to standard physical therapy in the acute phase of rehabilitation following LTX. Patients targeted for enrollment will be those with any type of advanced lung disease requiring LTX with the objective of demonstrating improvements in respiratory muscle recovery, perceived dyspnea, severity of fatigue, and overall functional status following the transplant procedure.

Inclusion Criteria: * Participant has personally signed and dated informed consent form indicating understanding of all pertinent aspects of the study * Active on the waiting list for lung transplantation * Able to ambulate pre-transplant (not bed/wheelchair bound) with or without assistive device Exclusion Criteria: * Already participating in a regular IMT program * Impaired cognition with inability to follow commands