The purpose of this paper is to describe our experience with respiratory muscle training in elderly subjects and in patients with chronic airflow limitation (CAL). We conducted a study consisting of two parts: in the first (part 1), we assessed the degree to which the strength of the respiratory muscles could be improved by training in elderly normal subjects and patients with CAL; in the second (part 2), we compared two methods of respiratory muscle endurance training in patients with CAL. The training in part 1 consisted of the performance of maximum Valsalva and Mueller manoeuvres for 20 minutes per session, four times per week, for five weeks, by subjects in both groups. In part 2, three groups of CAL patients were compared: inspiratory resistive breathers, treadmill walkers, and a control group. The first two of these groups of CAL patients performed endurance training on their respective modalities, using an intermittent protocol for 40 to 45 minutes per session, five times a week, for six weeks. The third group had no training. The results showed that the respiratory muscles in elderly subjects and patients with CAL can be strengthened through training. The results also demonstrated that both respiratory muscle endurance training methods improved the exercise tolerance in patients with CAL, although treadmill walking appeared to be superior to inspiratory resistive breathing alone in our small group of patients.

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