Airway clearance techniques – a proposed classification based on definitions?

The lack of standardized definitions for airway clearance techniques (ACT) leads to significant differences in the clinical practice and effects because the variability in physiological mechanisms. Studies show that both manual and instrumental ACT are influenced by therapist-dependent factors such as applied force, duration of the application, and patient positioning. To ensure reproducibility and effective teaching, a single, physiologically grounded description of ACT is urgently needed.