Someone who has Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is usually referred by their GP or respiratory specialist to the Pulmonary Physiotherapy Team at the hospital to take part in a six-week Pulmonary Rehabilitation course. It consists of both exercise classes to help improve lung strength and education sessions proving information on how to manage COPD and gives tips on how to make your day easier when living with COPD.
Following on from the Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) sessions you may be referred to an exercise specialist in the community who delivers an exercise class following on from PR. Your GP can also refer you to a class, completing PR is not essential.
This class will be similar to the PR class completed, and the aim of the class is to help maintain or improve on the gains achieved in PR.
The exercise class in the community following on from PR, will have four sections.
-Warm Up
-Main section of the class has stations which are cardiovascular exercise to help to improve lung strength and is timed. A Borg scale 1-10 is used to measure intensity, and participants are encouraged to work at around 3 – 5 (moderate – hard) on the Borg scale. Working at this level brings benefits to the lungs.
-Muscular Strength section is working with resistance on the upper body with the aim to work a muscle group with 10 reps and three sets.
-Cool Down is 10 minutes with the aim of reducing breathing rate and stretching upper and lower muscles of the body.
If you would like to try a Breath with Ease Exercise Class online, please contact me. The first two classes are free. You will need medical clearance; I will contact your GP with your permission.
The Breath with Ease class is held on Fridays 9.30am- 10.30am on Zoom.
If you are interested, please fill out your details here https://cardiacpt.com/contact/