COPD & Exercise

floridagirl7264
floridagirl7264 Posts: 318 Member
edited December 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all ... I have COPD and use an inhaler. Exercise is supposed to help it. BUT, I can't exercise because I can't breathe when I try to. I can go along for about 7 or 8 mins but that's it. I struggle with weight training too. Anybody else suffering from COPD and how do you cope?

Replies

  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    If the intensity forces you to stop, either drop the intensity, or follow that bout of high intensity with a long interval of low intensity work until you can do it again.
  • M_lifts
    M_lifts Posts: 2,218 Member
    do you have mild/ moderate / severe copd? I ask because you need to have it optimised first in terms of medication and changing your lifestyle ie smoking cessation, changing your diet.

    People with COPD can exercise but it needs to be under supervision, do you have pulmonary rehabilitation classes near your area? That is one of the courses to kickstart your fitness levels and is run by physiotherapists (or physical therapists) . The key is to break the cycle of inactivity which lead you to being so breathless on minimal exertion. This requires a lot of breathing re-training. You need to take it slowly and pace yourself. Start with simple things like walking, using low weights and work on gradually increasing the time/ distance. The slower you do thing, the longer you will be able to do them for.

    I work with people with COPD, if you have any more questions feel free to pm :)
  • floridagirl7264
    floridagirl7264 Posts: 318 Member
    do you have mild/ moderate / severe copd? I ask because you need to have it optimised first in terms of medication and changing your lifestyle ie smoking cessation, changing your diet.

    People with COPD can exercise but it needs to be under supervision, do you have pulmonary rehabilitation classes near your area? That is one of the courses to kickstart your fitness levels and is run by physiotherapists (or physical therapists) . The key is to break the cycle of inactivity which lead you to being so breathless on minimal exertion. This requires a lot of breathing re-training. You need to take it slowly and pace yourself. Start with simple things like walking, using low weights and work on gradually increasing the time/ distance. The slower you do thing, the longer you will be able to do them for.

    I work with people with COPD, if you have any more questions feel free to pm :)

    I'm not sure if I have mild or moderate COPD. I can't walk up stairs without feeling like my lungs are about to explode. I don't smoke cigarettes. I did get it from smoking but as soon as I found out that I had it, I quit immediately. A little too late. :cry: It's my own fault. I find that I get winded sometimes just walking from room to room in my house. It's really scary to be out of breath so quickly and struggling to take a breath. I am not in pulmonary rehab. Didn't know there was such a thing, but I'll definitely look into it. I'll try walking just a little bit at a time and make sure I have my inhaler with me just in case. Thank you for your input. You've opened my eyes!
  • mamapuddin17
    mamapuddin17 Posts: 108 Member
    Do you see a pulmoary dr, for this? He should be able to refer you to a rehab facility. My Mom had COPD and they had an outpatient program for people with COPD. Your local hospital or clinic should know.
  • BBoros
    BBoros Posts: 67 Member
    I don't have COPD, but I do have spinal problems and definitly out of shape. I used to use an electric scooter to get around at the stores, but I started to (little by little) walk instead. I started out walking only if I was running in to get a few things. Then worked up to now I can spend several minutes walking in the store. And I also bought a DVD for walking in place. The DVD goes from 1 mile all the way to 5 miles. So far I can make it through the warm up and the first mile. So just take it slow, start out small and work toward a bigger goal.
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