Background: Physical activity promotion in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is focus of research and public health. Patient-centred interventions like counselling are promising approaches to help patients reducing sedentary behaviour. Aim of the present study is to investigate if a physical activity counselling program during pulmonary rehabilitation increases physical activity level in daily life in people with COPD.
Methods: A two-armed, single blind randomised controlled trial including 56 people with COPD will be conducted in an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients will participate in a 12-week-rehabilitation program; individuals randomized to the interventional group will additionally participate in five counselling sessions with a physiotherapist, based on the principles of motivational interviewing. The participants' physical activity level will be measured using an accelerometer (SenseWear Pro®) before, directly and 3 months after pulmonary rehabilitation. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted to learn more about barriers and facilitators regarding daily physical activity.
Discussion: If the strategy successfully improves the physical activity level in people with COPD, counselling might be implemented in pulmonary rehabilitation.
Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov NCT02455206 (05/21/2015), Swiss National Trails Portal SNCTP000001426 (05/21/2015).
Keywords: Behaviour change; COPD; Motivational interviewing; Physical activity promotion.