RecruitingInterventional

The development of a new treatment for asthma aimed at improving the muscular control of breathing

This study explores a new treatment for asthma to help people breathe more easily. Many people with asthma still feel breathless even with their medication, often because their breathing muscles aren't working as well as they could. This research aims to develop a special therapy, called Cognitive Muscular Therapy (CMT), which has helped with joint pain, and adapt it for breathing issues in asthma. It also uses special computer software to help people see and understand their breathing patterns. The study will involve up to 20 people with asthma who are over 18 and regularly taking their medication. Participants will receive 7-8 weekly sessions at the University of Salford with an experienced NHS physiotherapist. The goal is to see if this new approach can reduce breathlessness and help develop a bigger study in the future.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

University of Salford

Enrolment target

Start

01 Jul 2025

Estimated completion

30 Sep 2026

Respiratory; Disease/Condition: Chronic lower respiratory diseases

What is this study about?

Asthma is a common condition that can make you feel breathless because your airways become swollen and narrow. Even when people take their asthma medication regularly, some still find themselves struggling with breathlessness. This study looks into why this might be happening and tries to find a new way to help.

Researchers have found that for about a third of people with asthma, breathlessness might be linked to how their breathing muscles work, rather than just the airways themselves. Current breathing exercises can help a little, but this study suggests they might not fully address how we use our 'postural muscles' (the ones that help us stand and hold our body upright) when we breathe, or that people might not fully understand how to improve. This study is taking insights from a physiotherapy treatment originally designed for joint pain, which teaches people to relax these postural muscles. They're adapting this treatment, called "Cognitive Muscular Therapy (CMT)", specifically for people with asthma.

This study has two main parts. First, they will refine this new CMT treatment for asthma. Then, a small group of 20 people with asthma who still feel breathless despite their medication will try out this new therapy. The treatment will also use clever computer software with small cameras to show you your breathing patterns on a screen, helping you learn to breathe differently. The main goal is to see if this new approach can help reduce breathlessness and inform future, larger studies.

Key takeaways

This study is testing a new physiotherapy-based breathing therapy for asthma.
It aims to help people with asthma who still feel breathless despite medication.
Participants will receive 7-8 weekly sessions at the University of Salford.
The therapy involves reducing muscle tension and using computer visuals to improve breathing patterns.
Potential benefits include reduced breathlessness; risks are low, mainly temporary dizziness.
The study helps determine if this new treatment warrants a larger future study.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and have a doctor's diagnosis of asthma. It's important that you are regularly taking your preventative asthma medications and have had an asthma check-up with a health professional, like a GP or asthma nurse, within the last year.

They are particularly looking for people who still feel their asthma symptoms, like breathlessness, are not fully controlled, even with their medication. You also need to be able to stand comfortably without help for at least 20 minutes and understand English well enough to take part in the therapy sessions.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have conditions like dementia, certain other lung diseases (like COPD), serious heart problems, or are a current smoker or have smoked recently. Also, if your body weight is very high, it might affect how the breathing visualisation system works. The study team wants to make sure participants are right for this specific type of breathing therapy.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years or older with an asthma diagnosis?
Do you take your regular preventative asthma medication?
Have you had an asthma review with a health professional in the last year?
Do you often feel breathless even while on your asthma medication?
Can you stand comfortably without help for at least 20 minutes?
Do you speak and understand English well enough to follow treatment instructions?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you join this study, you will receive between 7 and 8 weekly treatment sessions. These sessions will take place at the University of Salford and each one will last about 45 to 60 minutes. An experienced NHS respiratory physiotherapist will lead these sessions. During your sessions, you'll be taught the new Cognitive Muscular Therapy, which includes using special computer software to help you see and understand your breathing patterns. You will continue to take your regular asthma medications as prescribed. The study is expected to run from May 2025 to May 2027.

Potential risks and benefits

A possible benefit of taking part is that you might find your breathlessness is reduced after receiving the 7-8 sessions of this new treatment. Your participation will also help researchers understand if this treatment is promising enough to be tested on a larger group of people with asthma in the future. The therapy techniques used are generally safe, similar to what a physiotherapist would use in their normal practice, and the breathing visualisation system doesn't carry any known risks. However, sometimes breathing retraining can make people feel a little dizzy due to small changes in their blood oxygen levels. If this happens, it usually passes quickly by sitting or lying down, and the team will monitor your oxygen levels to try and prevent it.

Locations (1)

University of Salford
Approximate
Salford, England

Common questions

What is Cognitive Muscular Therapy (CMT)?

It's a physiotherapy treatment that teaches you to reduce tension in specific muscles. This study is adapting it to help people with asthma improve their breathing.

Will I have to stop my current asthma medication?

No, you should continue to take your regular preventative asthma medications as prescribed by your doctor throughout the study.

How long do the treatment sessions last?

Each treatment session will last between 45 and 60 minutes.

Where will the study sessions take place?

All treatment sessions will be held at the University of Salford in the UK.

What is the breathing visualisation system?

It's computer software that uses small cameras to show you your breathing patterns on a screen, helping you to understand and change how you breathe.

How to find out more

Adam Handley

a.m.handley@salford.ac.uk - Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.