Balance, Gait and Pain in COPD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation into the impact of pain on the balance and gait of people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
IRAS ID
249801
Contact name
Samantha Harrison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 4 days
Research summary
Individuals living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have problems with their balance and walking patterns which have been linked to a four times higher occurrence of falls than those without COPD. Falls in people with COPD can reduced quality of life, increase mortality and cost the NHS in excess of £1.5 billion annually. Previous research has shown that reduced strength, co-ordination between breathing and balance roles of trunk muscles, physical activity and endurance (exercise capacity) may all play a part in why falls occur, but the entire cause is not known. People with COPD also experience higher levels of pain than their healthy peers. Pain has been shown to interfere with how muscles function, how active people are and the balance of people without COPD. The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of high levels of pain with balance and walking problems in COPD.
The secondary objective of this study is to investigate the interaction of reduced strength (lower limb and breathing muscles), physical activity levels and endurance and pain with balance and walking problems in COPD.
The research will study people with COPD at one time point (a cross sectional observational study), recruiting participants with COPD from two pulmonary rehabilitation services in North East England. Patients with COPD will have their balance and walking pattern and speed assessed, their lower limb and breathing muscle strength measured, and fill out questionnaires on pain, physical activity and breathlessness. Participants will then be grouped by pain status (pain present or not present) to compare the differences. It is hoped that the results will be relevant for development of treatments for balance and walking problems and pain in COPD, and informing clinical guidance on assessment and care of people with COPD.REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/NW/0149
Date of REC Opinion
15 Mar 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion