Physical Therapy and its role in Respiratory Diseases

Rehabilitating patients with decreased ability to breathe and function is often a neglected area of healthcare, yet it is one of the most rewarding aspects of physical therapy. Respiratory PT helps participants report a greater sense of well-being due to the ability to gain control over their symptoms.  They can often overcome fear of breathlessness that often accompanies COPD and other related lung diseases.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a very effective approach to chronic lung disease.  Respiratory physical therapy is aimed at educating and training patients with chronic lung disease to retrain their respiratory muscles, improve efficiency of their breathing techniques, and functional retraining to decrease fatigue during everyday activities.  There is also a focus on ensuring that patients can keep their airways clear by techniques that include, but are not limited to effective coughing, forced expiratory techniques, and manual techniques. 

COPD and other related respiratory diseases are often accompanied by a decrease in lung volumes and capacities. Increasing lung volume can be achieved through a variety of techniques.  Physical Therapists educate the patients on ways to effectively increase the quantity of air that is inhaled without undue fatigue. Techniques include breathing exercises, deep breathing, end respiratory hold, and abdominal breathing. Additionally, a therapist can also help with providing neurophysiological facilitation which includes putting pressure and using different finger positions to facilitate increased inhalation of air. There are also mechanical aids such as incentive spirometry that can be used to help to increase lung volume. The key to these activities is being able to perform them during therapy sessions and to carry over the skills when performing daily activities. 

 The benefits of exercises for people with normal lungs are well known, but extra benefits are found in people who have respiratory diseases. It has been noted that patients with respiratory diseases who train demonstrate improved exercise tolerance. Due to deconditioning, even a slight increase in activity levels has a positive training effect even.  Shortness of breath is also relieved by improving exercise tolerance. 

Pulmonary Physical Therapy promotes a sense of well-being and confidence accompanied by reduction in depression and anxiety.  Exercise is also known to reduce smoking and risk of chest infection while promoting improved sleep and relaxation. Physical therapists are trained to provide an exercise program that combines the four important aspects of exercise prescription: mode, intensity, duration and frequency. 

Physical therapists can not only help reduce symptoms in patients with respiratory diseases through breathing and airway clearance techniques but with the use of carefully prescribed gradually progressing exercises they can improve patient’s quality of life significantly.

To schedule a consultation and see how Physical or Occupational therapy can help you, contact Reddy Care Physical and Occupational Therapy today!

Reddy Care Great Neck: 516-829-0030
Reddy Care Farmingdale: 516-420-2900
In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy: 516-829-0030

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.