Optimization of pulmonary function, functional capacity, and quality of life in adolescents with thoracic burns after a 2-month arm cycling exercise programme: A randomized controlled study

•Chest burns are at high risk for long-term pulmonary complications due to chest muscle contractures and chronic inflammation.•2-month arm cycling exercise improves pulmonary functions, functional capacity, and quality of life in adolescents with chest burns.•Physiotherapy and rehabilitation centers should include arm cycling exercise in the treatment protocol of adolescents with chest burns.•2-month arm cycling exercise is feasible, safe, and costless treatment in adolescents with chest burns. Burns to the thorax are at high risk for long-term pulmonary complications due to chest muscle contractures and chronic inflammation in both adolescents and young adults. Few studies have investigated the effects of arm cycling exercise in those individuals. For that reason, this study examined pulmonary function, functional capacity, and quality of life (QOL) in adolescents with thoracic burns subsequent to 2-month arm cycling exercise programme. A single-blinded, two-month randomized prospective controlled study was carried out between July 2019 and March 2020 on thirty adolescents with chest burns aged 11–17 years. They were randomized into two equal groups (n = 15), traditional physiotherapy programme (control group), and arm cycling exercise plus traditonal physiotherapy (arm cycling exercise group) for 2 consecutive months. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), six-minute walk test (6MWT), and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) were measured in both groups at baseline and after 2-month after intervention. No statistical significance was detected at baseline between control and arm cycling exercise groups (FVC, p = 0.903, FEV1, p = 0.835, 6MWT, p = 0.817, and PedsQL, p = 0.612). 2 months after intervention showed statistical improvements in the arm cycling exercise group in all measures (FVC, p = 0.001, FEV1, p < 0.0001, 6MWT, p = 0.001, and PedsQL, p = 0.001) however, the control group showed statistical improvements in FVC, p = 0.044 and FEV1, p = 0.024 with non-statistically significant changes in 6MWT, p = 0.145 and PedsQL, p = 0.067. The arm cycling exercise group showed greater improvements than control group in the outcome measures (FVC, p = 0.034, FEV1, p < 0.017, 6MWT, p = 0.037, and PedsQL, p = 0.021). This prospective study clearly demonstrated positive and beneficial influences of two-month arm cycling exercise in the optimization of pulmonary functions, functional performance, and QOL in adolescents s