What Is the Effect of Physical Activity on COPD?

Introduction:

Any activity that works on the muscles and requires more energy than resting, such as walking, jogging, climbing stairs, gardening, sweeping, swimming, yoga, and gardening, are all examples of physical activity. Structured exercise programs like lifting and aerobics are also included. These activities have a profound effect on enhancing good health. One such health benefit is seen with COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is a group of disorders that causes airway blockage and makes breathing difficult. In this disease, exercise or physical activity is the main therapy modality.

What Are the Symptoms and Treatment Modes?

COPD has symptoms like tiredness and shortness of breath (dyspnea) and thereby will have a general reluctance to do any activity. While there is no known complete cure, a comprehensive attempt is made to rehabilitate lung function. A team of dedicated doctors, nurses, behavior specialists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, and social workers collaborate and help the patient with a tailored plan. These plans include:

1. Patient education.

2. Introducing lifestyle changes.

3. Reducing weight (if overweight).

4. Increasing activity.

5. Good nutrition.

6. Encourage people to stop smoking.

7. Pharmaceutical medications when necessary.

8. Early detection of severe attacks.

9. Managing acute breathing issues.

10. Establishing social networks by support groups.

11. Addressing mental health concerns.

Recognizing the need to help patients' physical and mental health is integral to effective COPD management. Support groups, patient education, and stress management sessions form part of a holistic approach. All this is intended to reduce the burden of symptoms, better manage the impairments, and improve the quality of life. Individuals are encouraged to have support groups where they are educated on the disease and ways to overcome it. Group sessions on deep breathing and pursed breathing are very helpful. In many programs, an occupational therapist and physiotherapist combine to help the patients. Available professional support should also focus on specific issues like stress management, smoking cessation, and motivating regular physical activity.

What Is the Relationship Between Physical Activity and COPD?

Patients with COPD have symptoms of getting tired, exhausted, and feeling breathless. All this leads to them preferring to be more inactive in daily activities. With time, the body is conditioned not to work more or do activities. To break this cycle of events, exercise is crucial. However, many factors, such as social and environmental factors, patients' perception of symptoms, and self-motivation, influence physical activity. To improve long-term health, exercise or daily physical activity is deemed a cornerstone for therapy. It differs from individual to individual, and a personalized, tailored intervention activity plan seems more effective in targeting human behavior, identifying the barriers, and stimulating them to figure out solutions. Motivating individuals and improving self-instilled physical activity is critical in sustaining good practices.

Encouraging motivational interviews and setting up short-term and long-term goals can positively impact activity levels. This emphasizes the importance of personalized interventions that address physical and psychological aspects.

What Are the Benefits of Physical Activity in COPD?

Physical activity is considered a cornerstone of rehabilitation in COPD cases. It is not just a recommendation but a basic therapy prescribed for patients with this disease. Regular physical activity has numerous benefits. The benefits are not just limited to COPD and the respiratory system but also extend to other diseases and comorbidities seen with COPD, like hypertension, diabetes, and heart issues. These further increase the risk of getting hospitalized and also increase the death rate.

1. Regular physical activity enhances heart health, which is very important for COPD patients to regulate their comorbidities.

2. Regular exercise promotes weight management; a healthy weight means less burden on respiratory health,

3. Improves respiratory muscle function, increasing breathing efficiency. Amongst the various symptoms of COPD, dyspnoea (shortness of breath) is the most common, for which most of them seek medical help. Physical activity includes supervised exercise training, adopting a forward-leaning sitting position, breathing exercises like pursed breathing, and using assistance while walking.

4. An active lifestyle helps break the inactivity cycle and the depressed lifestyle the individuals fall into. A better quality of life, sense of accomplishment, and improved mood are found.

What Exercises Are Good for COPD?

There are respiratory health-specific activities tailor-made for the individual based on their strengths and weaknesses.

1. Aerobic Exercise: Walking, cycling, and swimming impact full-body workouts without straining the joints, so more are to be practiced.

2. Band Training: Strengthens the overall body muscles. One should start a slow and gentle workout, gradually increasing to reach maximum efficiency and then maintaining.

3. Yoga and Stretches: Helps reduce stiff joints and promotes relaxation.

4. Breathing Exercises:

• Pursed Lip Breathing: Inhaling through the nose and long exhaling through pursed lips. This helps improve oxygen exchange and reduces breathing effort in the lungs.

• Abdominal Breathing: This helps strengthen the diaphragm, the primary muscle involved in breathing. It also improves lung capacity and strength. During inhalation and exhalation, abdominal muscle expansion is seen. Encourages controlled breathing that is slower and more focussed.

5. Training: Before embarking on any training program, it is important to consult the healthcare professional and take their advice.

• Mainly cardiovascular workouts.

• It has to be done with periods of rest.

What Are the Challenges Faced by COPD Individuals in Physical Activity?

While there are many benefits, several challenges persist. More often than not, the patient's symptoms are a big barrier. The individual cannot engage in any exercise form due to breath shortage and tiredness. The fear that this will increase the symptoms would compel them to avoid it altogether. Addressing these challenges requires a loving approach, explaining to the patient the benefits of taking them into confidence and making small changes in their routine and lifestyle. They should be advised to build their tolerance levels under supervision. Support groups with their rehab programs effectively overcome most of these challenges.

Conclusion:

With its diverse benefits, physical activity is a lifeline for COPD individuals. The benefits extend from strengthening the muscles and heart to clearing the airways and reducing symptoms of shortness of breath. Personalized exercise programs based on individual potential should be created and utilized. This will lead to a healthier, more fulfilling life for the patient.