A comparison of respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, activities of daily living and physical fitness in patients with cystic fibrosis and healthy subjects.
Adults with cystic fibrosis show weaker limbs, poorer stamina, and slower daily tasks even when their breathing muscles test normal.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hulya et al. (2015) compared adults with cystic fibrosis to healthy peers. They tested muscle strength, exercise stamina, and daily-living skills. The team used standard grip, walk, and step tests in a gym setting.
What they found
CF patients had weaker arm and leg muscles. They tired sooner on walk tests and took longer to dress or climb stairs. Surprisingly, breathing-muscle strength looked the same in both groups.
How this fits with other research
Griffith et al. (2012) and Whitehouse et al. (2014) saw the same pattern in older adults with intellectual disability. Those papers also found lower fitness versus norms, and they added that Down syndrome and low daily activity worsen the gap. The CF study now shows the deficit model works across diagnoses.
Wang et al. (2012) looked at kids with cerebral palsy and found the opposite on breathing muscles. In CP, weaker cough and inspiratory muscles did link to poorer self-care. The CF adults broke this link; their lungs were strong yet daily tasks were still slow. The difference is age and disease type: CP kids often have chest-wall tightness, while CF adults in this sample had fair lung function.
Amaral et al. (2014) and Amore et al. (2011) echo the daily-living gap. Whether the cause is CF, CP, or DCD, routine tasks need more time and help. Together the papers build a map: muscle weakness or motor limits predict participation problems, but the critical muscle group changes by diagnosis.
Why it matters
If you serve clients with chronic illness, do not assume good breathing means good function. Screen grip, leg strength, and timed walk each visit. Add brief resistance loops or sit-to-stand sets to home programs. Even five extra reps can speed dressing or kitchen tasks and preserve independence longer.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
There are limited reports that compare muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, activities of daily living (ADL) and parameters of physical fitness of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with healthy peers in the literature. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, ADL and physical fitness in patients with CF and healthy subjects. Nineteen patients with CF (mean forced expiratory volume in one second-FEV1: 86.56±18.36%) and 20 healthy subjects were included in this study. Respiratory (maximal inspiratory pressure-MIP and maximal expiratory pressure-MEP) and peripheral muscle strength (quadriceps, shoulder abductors and hand grip strength) were evaluated. Functional exercise capacity was determined with 6min walk test (6MWT). ADL was assessed with Glittre ADL test and physical fitness was assessed with Munich fitness test (MFT). There were not any statistically significant difference in MIP, %MIP, MEP and %MEP values between two groups (p>0.05). %Peripheral muscle strength (% quadriceps and shoulder abductors strength), 6MWT distance and %6MWT distance were significantly lower in patients with CF than those of healthy subjects (p<0.05). Glittre ADL-test time was significantly longer in patients with CF than healthy subjects (p<0.05). According to Munich fitness test, the number of bouncing a ball, hanging score, distance of standing vertical jumping and standing vertical jumping score were significantly lower in patients with CF than those of healthy subjects (p<0.05). Peripheral muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, ADL performance and speed, coordination, endurance and power components of physical fitness are adversely affected in mild-severe patients with CF compared to healthy peers. Evaluations must be done in comprehensive manner in patients with CF with all stages.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2015 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2015.07.020