Exercise

The Necessary Therapy

If you have lung disease, the most important reason to exercise is to stay alive. Once that is established, there are many other ways that exercise helps maximize the quality of life for those with lung disease. These pages attempt to introduce you to this subject and motivate you to immediately start exercising. If you are pre-transplant, exercise is needed to strengthen your body for the coming surgical ordeal and to fight off lung infections and keep you out of the hospital until a donor lung is available.

If you are post-transplant, exercise is needed to maximize the natural protection against lung infections that it provides. This protection is especially critical because medications are given the post transplant patient to suppress his immune system. I very recently learned this from Second Wind “Transplant Game” athletes at a video shoot at the games.

Your physician’s approval is required before you begin an exercise program. For some lung conditions, exercise is not beneficial and can actually hurt you. Be sure you are not in that class by discussing exercise with your physician. He will also determine the need for and amount of supplemental oxygen required for you to safely exercise.

Although the articles discuss thoughts on safely exercising at home, it is preferable that you be introduced to the concept in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. If, for some reason, your doctor or the local hospital are not able to tell you of a local pulmonary rehabilitation facility, please do not put off exercising. The articles discuss how to safely start out by yourself.

In addition to the articles listed below,  the booklet “An Exercise Program for Individuals with Lung Disease:  Rationale and Programming” is available at Amazon.com.  This is an excellent manual written by Dr. William F. Brechue with programs designed for those with lung disease.  It has 70 pages and includes:  Flexibility Program, Resistance Exercise Program, Machine Program, Dumbbell Program, Calisthenics Program and Aerobic Exercise Program.

Additional Links to help with Exercising

Pre-Transplant
Pretransplant Pulmonary Rehabilitation (Exercise)
Best Bone density exercises – 1
Best Bone density exercises – 2