Exercise is good for your health. Walks or sporting activities have been shown to strengthen the cardiovascular system and the body’s own immune system. Exercise can also prevent diseases such as diabetes or help alleviate existing diseases or slow their progression.
People with chronic lung diseases such as asthma or COPD can also benefit greatly from exercise and physical activity.
If you remain active, it is possible to:
- Reduce shortness of breath
- Improve health and
- Improve participation in life
However, this is countered by the fact that patients are often quickly out of breath due to their illness and only have limited resilience so that they tend to avoid physical strain. This can easily end in a vicious cycle. Without exercise, the heart, circulation, and muscles are weakened, the shortness of breath increases, and the quality of life decreases. It is not uncommon for this to be accompanied by depression and increasing social isolation.
Suitable training programs that are adapted to the severity of the disease can counteract this downward spiral.
What happens during physical activity?
The positive effects of physical activity and sport are very diverse. Above all, the cardiovascular system is strengthened and thus the resilience and performance of the body as a whole are increased. For example, the number of red blood cells increases, which can then transport more oxygen through the body.
Physical activity generally improves the condition, but an improvement in the lung function values of people with lung diseases is not to be expected.
Good for the lungs: which sports are particularly suitable?
To improve physical performance, endurance – or conditioning sports – in combination with muscle building are particularly suitable. Of course, these should always be adapted to your own physical performance.
Sports that can improve performance include:
- Running and jogging
- Brisk walking or Nordic walking
- Dancing
- Cycling, even at home on the ergometer/exercise bike
- Inline skating
- Swimming
- Hiking and skiing
- Cross-country skiing
Even smaller activities have a positive overall effect on health. For example, climbing stairs instead of taking a lift or walking short distances if TX defensive driving is not possible.