Exercise Prescription Training in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Benefits and Mechanisms

Abstract

Exercise rehabilitation training has emerged as one of the most promising modalities for enhancing clinical outcomes and overall well-being in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Distinct exercise prescriptions yield different clinical benefits in this population. Endurance training has been demonstrated to significantly improve exercise capacity, alleviate dyspnea, and enhance health-related quality of life metrics. High-intensity interval training offers a time-efficient approach to boosting cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic function. Resistance training addresses progressive muscle atrophy through targeted myofiber recruitment, thereby augmenting musculoskeletal performance and translating to enhanced exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. Exercise-mediated rehabilitation attenuates COPD progression and mitigates acute exacerbation risks via multifactorial mechanisms such as mitigation of inflammatory responses, reduction of oxidative stress, and improvement of endothelial cell function. Elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying exercise-induced benefits will pave the way for precision rehabilitation protocols, ultimately advancing COPD disease management paradigms, refining patient-centered outcome measures, and achieving sustainable health optimization in this clinical cohort.

Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; exercise training; inflammation; oxidative stress; pulmonary rehabilitation.

Figure 1

Mechanisms of exercise-induced improvement in COPD symptoms (created using Figdraw).