The ventilatory muscles. Fatigue, endurance and training

This review has dealt with the different methods used to evaluate ventilatory muscle function and the effects of training on the ventilatory muscles. In general, improved ventilatory muscle endurance can be attained by resistive or hyperpneic training. In patients with lung disease, this training confers benefits with respect to exercise capacity, although it does not appear to be essential for improved exercise performance. Whether or not this training should receive widespread use is still unclear in view of the fact that exercise alone achieves similar benefits. The analysis of the diaphragmatic EMG is being refined and may in the future become a useful clinical tool for the assessment of diaphragmatic function.