A special look into a study - The effect of EMST on Parkinson’s Disease

A recent study completed an investigation on the effect of EMST for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

See link below:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51049702_Respiratory_Strength_Training_Concept_and_Intervention_Outcomes

Many people with Parkinson’s Disease often present with the following symptoms:

· Reduced inspiratory (breathing in) capacity

· Reduced expiratory (breathing out) capacity

· Respiratory muscle weakness

· Pulmonary disease

· Respiratory complications.

These symptoms impact quality of life and significantly affect overall health.

In summary, the above article found the following:

· A four week EMST program (20-30 minutes, 5 days a week) results in:

• Improved swallowing function

• Improved cough function

• Reduced incidence of aspiration / penetration

• Protecting the lungs from aspiration-related pulmonary complications

• Reduced penetration/aspiration events (which has critical implications for aspiration risk, which is the leading cause of death in Parkinson’s Disease)

• Maintain effects over time

• Likely "physiological changes in the actual swallow”

• Improved cough effectiveness, which is critical to reducing an individual “at risk” for aspiration

Apart from the above findings, there are some other advantages of EMST:

· It is a short term treatment

· It is fairly cost-effective

· The program minimising direct therapist time required for rehabilitation

· Can be done in a home-based or aged-care setting independently

Sapienza C, et al. Respiratory Strength Training: Concept and Intervention Outcomes. Sem Speech Lang 2011;32(1):21-30.