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Pulmonary rehabilitation

This service is specifically designed to help those with a long-term lung condition affecting quality of life and daily living tasks.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a service that aims to improve breathlessness, exercise tolerance and overall quality of life for individuals with a long term respiratory condition.

Breathlessness can be a symptom of a long-term lung condition, it can be uncomfortable, scary and make you not want to exercise. This can lead to the viscous cycle of inactivity, thus impacting on your daily life and well-being.

Pulmonary rehabilitation can be the first step to breaking that cycle with expert support from a team of physiotherapists and occupational therapists, with guidance in line with the standards from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a seven-week programme consisting of 14 structured exercise sessions to improve your breathlessness under the supervision of a specialist therapy team.

Each session consists of 60 minutes exercise tailored to your ability and 30 minutes of education related to your respiratory condition. Exercise consists of both endurance and resistance-based exercises.

The exercises are designed for people with a range of respiratory conditions including COPD, bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease (ILD), lung transplant and asthma.

How would pulmonary rehabilitation benefit me?

  • Enhance the knowledge and understanding of your respiratory condition along with symptom management
  • Improve your strength and fitness
  • Help to effectively manage your breathlessness and improve both physical and mental well-being
  • Improve knowledge of inhaled medication
Vicious cycle of inactivity - you do less, your muscles become weaker, you feel breathless, you avoid those activities that make you breathless...
Avoiding activities leads to weaker muscles, therefore increasing muscles effort and increased breathlessness.
Positive cycle of activity - you do more activity to help your breathlessness, muscles become stronger and use oxygen more efficiently, tasks become easier, you feel better, you're motivated to continue being active...
The vicious cycle of inactivity can be broken, and pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the first steps to breaking the cycle.

Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation

  • Improve health related quality of life
  • Improve mental well-being
  • Increase confidence
  • Improve respiratory muscle strength
  • Decrease exercise related breathlessness
  • Understand and manage your condition effectively
  • Reduce chest infections
  • Reduce risks of hospital admissions

Education classes include discussions around the following topics

How your lungs work
Keeping active with a lung condition
Eating well for healthier lungs
Breathlessness
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Bronchiectasis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
Medications for COPD (Inhaled therapy)
Home oxygen therapy*
Smoking*
Sex and Breathlessness*
Planning for final stages*

*not discussed within a group setting

Topics also discussed

  • Relaxation
  • Diaphragmatic breathing
  • Active cycle of breathing technique (ACBT)/sputum
  • Positions of ease/breathing techniques
  • Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Venues and locations

All venues are subject to the outcome of your physical assessment once referred.

Does pulmonary rehabilitation sound good to you?

To get involved contact your:

  • GP
  • Respiratory consultant
  • Practice nurse
  • Respiratory nurse
  • Allied health care professional

Contact details

The service can be contacted at Low Grange Health Village, Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays between the hours of 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Tel: 01642 944607

Email: [email protected]