People living with chronic lung disease are caught in a difficult cycle – cardiovascular exercise is essential for strengthening their lungs, but, lung disease often prevents them from feeling like they can participate in regular fitness activities!
The Lung Health Foundation suggests starting small, with simple exercises that fit into your daily routine. Always check with your healthcare provider before starting something new, and listen to your body!
Benefits of exercise
Daily exercise will allow you to accomplish more, use your energy more efficiently, and feel less breathless.
Improve
Improve energy levels
Exercise ability
Muscle and bone strength
Mood
Reduce
Breathlessness for any activity
Leg tiredness
Risk of heart disease
Risk of infection
What’s normal when exercising – and what’s not?
It’s normal to experience:
Light to moderate breathlessness
Sweating
Fatigue or burning in your legs
Light muscular or joint pain
But you should stop exercising and contact your healthcare provider if you feel any of these symptoms:
Chest pain
Intense joint pain
Dizziness
Heart palpitations
Severe and prolonged breathing difficulties
Abnormally tired
Breathing while exercising
It is important to breathe the entire time you are exercising. You may feel like you want to hold your breath; however, it is important to maintain a normal breathing pattern. Try to exhale while performing each movement, and when returning back to the starting position, try to inhale.