RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT REHABILITATION ENHANCES SPIROMETRIC OUTCOMES IN CAP RECOVERY: RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) impairs lung function, necessitating effective rehabilitation to enhance recovery. Conventional physiotherapy has limited evidence for improving spirometric outcomes, prompting exploration of novel interventions like dance-based gymnastics.

Objective: To evaluate whether a dance-based gymnastic program, combined with conventional physiotherapy, improves spirometric indicators in young adults recovering from CAP compared to conventional physiotherapy alone.

Methods: A 12-week randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, enrolling 24 adults (aged 20–30) recovering from CAP. Participants were randomized to an experimental group (TG, n=12) receiving dance-based gymnastics plus conventional physiotherapy or a control group (CG, n=12) receiving conventional physiotherapy alone. Primary outcomes were spirometric indicators (forced vital capacity [VCL forced], minute volume of breathing [MVB], breathing volume [BV]), assessed at baseline and 12 weeks using a calibrated spirometer. Data were analyzed with t-tests and ANOVA (p<0.05).

Results: The TG showed significantly greater improvements in VCL forced (p<0.004), MVB (p<0.005), and BV (p<0.005) compared to the CG. Hypoxic test pause durations improved markedly in the TG (p<0.001), indicating enhanced respiratory endurance. No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions: Dance-based gymnastics, combined with conventional physiotherapy, significantly enhances lung function in CAP recovery, offering a scalable approach to reduce recovery time and hospital readmissions. Further studies are needed to assess long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness in diverse populations.