Study on How Visual Feedback From the SpiroGym App Affects Breathing Muscle Training in People With Parkinsons Disease

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effect of visual feedback from the SpiroGym mobile application on expiratory muscle strength training EMST performance in patients with Parkinsons disease. This study uses a prospective crossover design to compare EMST sessions with and without the SpiroGym app, aiming to understand how real-time visual feedback influences muscle activation, expiratory performance, and participant motivation during training. Participants will complete two EMST sessions at 75% of their maximum expiratory pressure, separated by a two-week interval. One session includes visual feedback via the SpiroGym app, which shows a real-time curve of sound levels during exhalation to guide training effort. The other session is performed without this feedback. The order of sessions is randomized to compare effects within the same individual. During the study, researchers will measure muscle activation using surface electromyography sEMG of abdominal and suprahyoid muscles at baseline and after two weeks. The SpiroGym app will record sound intensity as a measure of expiratory effort. Participants will also complete a feedback questionnaire about difficulty and motivation. The study lasts for about two weeks per participant, with monitoring of exercise performance and subjective experience.

Effect of Visual Feedback From the SpiroGym Mobile Application