Neuromuscular disorders (NMD) lead to the progressive loss of motor and respiratory functions and a decline in daily activities and participation. We aimed to evaluate respiratory changes and functional outcomes in children attending an aquatic therapy program. Eleven patients diagnosed with NMD (4–18 years, Vignos scale 1–9) were involved in a 10-week aquatic exercise program. The ventilation variables were: peak cough flow, volumes (forced expiratory volume in one second-FEV₁ and inspiratory volume) and respiratory pressures to evaluate strength and oxygen saturation (O₂ sat). Functional skills were measured in the aquatic environment (Water Orientation Test Alyn 1) and on dry land, (Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory), together with quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory). Our evaluation included several 2 × 6 mixed-model repeated measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with time (baseline, post 1 session, pre-post at five weeks and pre-post at 10 weeks). Important improvements in functional skills were observed in and out of the water and children under the age of 11 displayed a significant difference for inspirational volume (p = 0.002) and O₂ sat (p = 0.029). Clinical, statistically insignificant changes were found for peak cough flow and expiratory pressures values after aquatic exercise. These results may support a relationship between aquatic exercise in NMD, respiratory outcomes and functional activities in water and on land.

中文翻译：

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水上运动对神经肌肉疾病患儿的呼吸结果和功能活动的影响：一项开放标签和前瞻性初步研究的结果。

神经肌肉疾病（NMD）导致运动和呼吸功能的逐步丧失以及日常活动和参与的减少。我们旨在评估参加水生治疗计划的儿童的呼吸变化和功能结局。11名被诊断为NMD的患者（4-18岁，维尼奥斯量表为1-9）参与了为期10周的水上运动计划。通气变量为：咳嗽峰值流量，容量（一秒钟FEV _1中的强迫呼气量和吸气量）和呼吸压力以评估强度和氧饱和度（O ₂坐）。在水生环境（Alyn 1水定向测试）和旱地（残疾儿童的儿科评估）中测量了生活技能，并评估了生活质量（儿童生活质量清单）。我们的评估包括随时间（基线，第1阶段后，第5周前和第10周后）对协方差（ANCOVA）进行的几个2×6混合模型重复测量重复分析。观察到了进出水面的功能技能的重要进步，11岁以下的儿童的吸气量（p = 0.002）和O ₂ sat（p= 0.029）。在水上运动后，发现咳嗽峰值流量和呼气压力值在临床上无统计学意义的变化。这些结果可能支持NMD进行水上运动，呼吸结果与水上和陆地上的功能活动之间的关系。