Upper-limb exercise movements produce positive outcomes in lung function capacity, severity of symptoms, exertion scale, muscle mass, and general quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A quasi-experimental study conducted by a team of researchers from the Department of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Universitas Sumatera Utara, North Sumatera, Indonesia, found that 4-weeks home training of just upper limb exercise with twice-a-week frequency showed significant improvement in the lung function capacity and overall quality of life.

The researchers said that they conducted the study on 10 stable COPD patients from August to November 2020, mostly online, and pointed out that the results showed significant improvement, with p-value < 0.05. The findings have also proved that the home-based rehabilitation programme was as effective as the programme conducted at health-care centres.