In the pathophysiology of restrictive lung disease, which symptom would you expect to see?

In restrictive lung disease, decreased chest expansion is a hallmark symptom due to the inability of the lungs to fully expand during inhalation. This restriction can arise from various factors, including abnormalities in the lung parenchyma, pleura, and chest wall, or even neuromuscular disorders that impair respiratory muscle function. As a result, patients experience shrunken lung volumes, leading to reduced total lung capacity and vital capacity. This decreased chest expansion reflects the underlying pathophysiological changes that encompass the restrictive nature of these lung diseases, whether due to fibrosis, obesity, or other conditions limiting the ability of the thoracic cavity to expand. Effective ventilation is thus compromised, often resulting in symptoms like shortness of breath due to inadequate oxygenation during physical exertion.