Physical activity is reduced in COPD patients and has a negative effect in the morbidity and mortality of this condition. Unfortunately, usual advice is not good enough to reverse the sedentary condition in COPD patients. Pedometers are broadly used to measure and to enhance physical activity in COPD but their effects in COPD are not well known. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of a program using pedometers as a feedback in stable ex smokers COPD patients. Patients are recruited for a 3 months individual program promoting daily physical activity enhancement and are randomly assigned either to a pedometer-based program (experimental group) or to usual care (control group, the measurements at the beginning and at the end of the study are: anthropometrics, Spirometry, dyspnea, quality of life, exercise capacity and the average one week daily steps. Also the number of acute exacerbations during the follow up are recorded.
Physical activity is reduced in COPD affecting morbidity and mortality and the usual advice is not good enough to increase the physical activity level. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of pedometers in the physical level in COPD patients.