COPD lung sports helps lung patients

For lung COPD, sport can help seriously ill people

09/11/2014

As a rule, pulmonary patients avoid great efforts. However, this is a mistake, but they should make an effort, my experts. A suitable sports program, such as specialized lung sports, can help patients less likely to suffer from respiratory distress.

Up to five million people in Germany suffer from COPD
According to estimates of the German respiratory league, about three to five million people in Germany suffer from chronic obstructive bronchitis (COPD), also known as smoker's lung. COPD is one of the most common diseases worldwide. The main symptom of the widespread disease is the smoker's cough, which is characterized among other things by increased secretion of airways and corresponding coughing in the morning with expectoration. For those affected is often the stairs to the apartment too steep, every step is agony and the air is gone. Patients with COPD quickly suffer from respiratory distress on exercise, which leads to, „that they strain less and lose muscle strength and stamina“, As the chief physician of the Clinic for Heart and Lung Diseases at the Klinikum Fürth, Prof. Heinrich Worth explained according to a dpa message.

Lung sports can help patients
However, this is precisely the problem, because the more those who are affected, the more often they suffer from shortness of breath. In addition, osteoporosis, diabetes or vascular disease are often the result, as the sports scientist Oliver Göhl said. In addition to the main risk factor smoking, passive smoking, environmental pollution or occupational exposure, for example due to chemicals, are also considered risk factors for COPD. Patients should definitely give up smoking. Also lung sports can help those affected.

Special exercise therapy for pulmonary patients
But do not worry: what initially sounds like competitive sports is a special movement therapy for patients with asthma, COPD or other lung diseases. „The type of sport is rather secondary“, explained the lung specialist Prof. Dieter Köhler. „Basically, the pulse should rise, it should be possible to work up a sweat and train at least twice a week.“ The latter condition is that the sport is effective. Physician Worth recommends participation in a lung sports group. There, the structure and course of an exercise usually follows a certain pattern, including endurance and strength training as well as coordination and stretching exercises.

Benefits of a lung sports group
According to Köhler, lung patients should learn to take a break before a heavy load: „So pause for a short time when hiking, for example, when the route gets steeper.“ He further explained: „Many make the mistake that they have to go on and then stop halfway because they have shortages of air.“ This is an advantage of a lung sports group: The instructor can make sure that the participants do not take over and the tasks are exactly adapted to their performance. In addition, there is always a doctor on call in the groups. The patient must be presented with a medical certificate. Furthermore, the instructors are specially trained and an emergency kit must be available.

Condition of the patients is better by the sport
What sport brings to health, Köhler explains: „It has been proven that the shortage of air occurs later during regular training.“ He also cites an example: on average, people can walk 600 meters within six minutes, and a moderately-aggravated lung sufferer can usually do 300 meters. But if he trains regularly, he comes on average to 400 meters. „His condition is getting better“, so Worth.

Patients live healthier as part of lung sport
In 2006, in a study of around 2,390 patients with COPD, scientists found that patients were less likely to go to the hospital after regular physical activity. According to Worth, there is evidence that exercise therapy for asthma and COPD causes the inflammation in the respiratory system to decrease. „But that's not proven yet“, he restricts. He further explained: „As part of the lung sport, the patient smokes more often and feeds healthier.“ Normally, a monthly course fee is incurred, which is, however, partially or completely taken over by the health insurance companies. (Ad)