What are the effects of chest physiotherapy for pneumonia in children?
-
It is unclear whether chest physiotherapy is helpful for children with pneumonia. Studies tested different kinds of chest physiotherapy, but results varied across studies. Some techniques showed small improvements in recovery, whilst others showed no clear effect.
-
Future studies should use similar methods and reporting of results to enable a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of chest physiotherapy for children with pneumonia.
Pneumonia is a type of lung infection. It is the deadliest infectious disease amongst children aged up to five years worldwide. Most pneumonia-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where access to healthcare services may be more limited than in high-income countries.
Chest physiotherapy is a type of physical therapy that loosens mucus in the lungs so it can be coughed out, making breathing easier. Because it can help to open airways and assist breathing, chest physiotherapy may contribute to children's recovery from pneumonia. Some forms of chest physiotherapy are administered by another person, such as a physiotherapist, whilst others are self-administered or require the use of a mechanical device.
What did we want to find out?We wanted to find out if chest physiotherapy could reduce the number of deaths and length of hospital stay and improve symptoms in children with pneumonia. We also looked at any unwanted effects of chest physiotherapy.
What did we do?We searched for studies that compared any type of chest physiotherapy with no chest physiotherapy in children with pneumonia. We compared and summarised the results of the studies and rated our confidence in the evidence based on factors such as study methods and sizes.
What did we find?We included 12 studies involving a total of 2863 children with pneumonia aged from 29 days to 14 years. This is an update of a review first published in 2013 and updated in 2019, and includes six new studies. Studies were conducted in hospitals in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, and South Africa. Pneumonia was described as moderate to severe in seven studies; severity was not described in the remaining five studies. All children also received standard medical treatment for pneumonia.
Main results-
There may be little to no difference between groups in number of deaths (6 studies, 2294 children).
-
Of 9 studies (2069 children) that looked at length of hospital stay, 5 studies reported no difference between groups, whilst the other 4 studies found a shorter hospital stay in the group receiving chest physiotherapy.
-
There may be little to no difference between groups in time to resolution of increased number of breaths taken per minute (respiratory rate) (11 studies, 2219 children).
-
Three studies (336 children) found shorter cough and phlegm duration in children receiving chest physiotherapy, whereas 1 study (89 children) reported a longer coughing period.
-
Six studies (2382 children) reported unwanted effects. Most studies found no serious unwanted effects, but mild complications such as nasal irritation, skin breakdown, or swollen belly were more common in children receiving chest physiotherapy.
Because the included studies were relatively small, tested different treatments, and reported results in different ways, we could not confirm whether chest physiotherapy is helpful or not for children with pneumonia. Decisions about the use of chest physiotherapy should therefore be based on the individual needs of the child and their condition.
What are the limitations of the evidence?We have little to very low confidence in the evidence because studies were small and had problems with their methods, and results differed amongst studies. Studies used different methods and ways of reporting results, making it hard to clearly understand how effective these treatments are.
How up to date is this evidence?The evidence is current to 8 June 2026.