Exercise/Pulmonary Rehab and the COPD patient
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often report dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion and therefore over time tend to decrease their overall activity. Over time this limitation in activity causes an individual to get short of breath with less activity resulting in an individual becoming less active.
Activity is an important component of one’s everyday life; otherwise individuals will have more symptoms with less and less activity. However starting an exercise program is difficult, especially if one is short of breath with minimal activity as many individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are. Therefore, many individuals limit their activity because any sort of exertion or activity that increases shortness of breath makes them decrease their activity.
Many individuals with COPD are concerned about starting an exercise program and would benefit greatly from guidance from healthcare professionals. If an individual with COPD is apprehensive about exercise or has extremely limited exercise tolerance, they would benefit greatly from a referral to pulmonary rehabilitation.
see more exercise / COPD info at the lung health professional org
