Simple physiotherapy may shield breathing muscle in ventilator patients

This study looks at whether respiratory physiotherapy can prevent or reduce thinning of the diaphragm—the main breathing muscle—in patients who are on mechanical ventilators in the ICU. Researchers will measure diaphragm thickness using ultrasound in 66 adults who have been on a ventilator for at least 5 days. Some patients will receive standard physiotherapy, while others will also get electrical stimulation to the diaphragm. The goal is to see if these treatments help maintain diaphragm strength and make it easier to wean patients off the ventilator.