Breathing exercises

What are breathing exercises?

As a CF fighter you are of course an expert in breathing exercises. Nevertheless I would like to write something about it, they represent a large part of our therapy. Breathing exercises are exercises that strengthen breathing, loosen sputum and keep our lungs more flexible and healthy. Basically, most of us come into contact with it sooner or later. Usually practiced with a physio, there are many exercises that can also be done at home.

Pros

  • Loosen sputum
  • Extend the lungs
  • Keeps the lungs fit
  • Can be relaxing
  • Prevent germs from settling in our lungs
  • Can be done everywhere

Cons

  • Time consuming
  • Can be boring (from my own experience)
  • Loosen sputum
  • Extend the lungs
  • Keeps the lungs fit
  • Can be relaxing
  • Prevent germs from settling in our lungs
  • Time consuming
  • Can be boring (from my own experience)

My experience with breathing exercises

Until about 15 I regularly went to the physio to do breathing exercises. Believe me, that was so boring. That's why I stopped. Only later did I realize what the real use of these boring exercises was. Since then I go weekly to a specialized physio who does breathing exercises with me. This includes many breathing techniques, but also special positions of the body. The exercises bring great benefits and loosen a lot of mucus. When I have time, I inhale before. At home I do less breathing exercises. I use PEP, which is also an exercise. I recommend that you also do breathing exercises with a physio. Believe me, even if it is not very exciting, it brings a lot. Even if you feel great, the exercises can prevent.

Various breathing exercises

Below I show you a few breathing exercises and positions which you can use also at home. It is important to take your time. It is worth it. 

 

The banana

For the banana position you lie on your back and bend like a banana. With this you open the left or right lung. Now take a deep breath and exhale, concentrate on getting the air into the stretched area. This exercise helps to ventilate the sides better and stretch the tissue.

The lateral position

Lie on one side, bend your lower leg and put your arm over your head. Now breathe in as deeply as you can see on the lung side above. Through the stretching and breathing, you can loosen and best ventilate the lung tissue. You can do this on both sides for about 2-3 minutes.

With support

Lie on one side and bend both legs. Your physio or the person supporting you will put a varnish on your upper body. As you exhale, the person can pull the varnish together, causing pressure on your lungs. This helps you to empty your lungs better and then fill more. Be careful not to apply too much pressure, otherwise you won't be able to breathe properly. This exercise can take about 2-3 minutes, if it does you good, it can be repeated several times.

EzPAP with support

In addition to the normal EzPAP therapy, a person can support you. Pressure is exerted on the lungs during exhalation. This helps to exhale deeper. This provides oxygen to areas that may not otherwise be available. The exercise can also be done in the lateral position.

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