Researchers reviewed 18 studies to understand if breathing muscle training helps adults in intensive care units who need breathing machines. The training involves using a device that makes breathing harder to strengthen breathing muscles. The studies included adults who needed ventilator support for at least 24 hours.
The main finding was that this breathing training may have no effect on patients' physical function - their ability to move and perform daily activities. The analysis showed very uncertain results, with the true effect possibly ranging from a small benefit to a small harm. The review did not report any safety concerns from the training.
It's important to be cautious because these results come from a limited number of studies, most with small numbers of patients. This makes the findings very uncertain. The review authors say high-quality studies with more patients are needed to get clearer answers.
Readers should understand that while breathing muscle training is sometimes used in ICUs, we don't yet have strong evidence about whether it helps patients regain physical function after serious illness. This doesn't mean the training is harmful - just that we need better research to know if it provides meaningful benefits.