Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a collection of clinical symptoms and signs characterized by a progressive decrease in the oxygen content of the arterial blood following a disease or significant injury.
Respiratory distress syndrome causes more deaths than breast and prostate cancer. This problem mostly occurs in individuals who have sustained severe injuries. Those who develop this disease often face muscle weakness as well. Various factors contribute to the development of adult respiratory distress syndrome, including direct lung injury from inhaling smoke or indirect body damage (such as shock), blood disorders, excessive medication use, and major surgeries. Over the past 30 years, drug treatments for this disease have not yielded desirable results. However, doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in the United States have pioneered a new way to combat this disease through exercise. The director of the research says: "Based on our past research, we knew that moving patients helps them breathe more easily. This helps strengthen their body and overall condition. What we hadn’t understood until now was why this happens." Researchers discovered the therapeutic mechanism of exercise and its effects on patients by studying mice. In these studies, mice with lung damage and weak muscles exercised twice a week. Researchers found that short-duration, low-intensity exercises could enhance respiratory muscle function. One researcher states: "We found that a specific process occurs in these patients that leads to muscle loss. Early exercise disrupts this process. It seems that exercise affects certain proteins in the body that regulate the immune response to injury."
Before engaging in any exercise, please consult your doctor. If you have a severe chronic respiratory disorder, your doctor will first refer you to a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Additionally, if you use oxygen tanks, your doctor will guide you on how to adjust your oxygen flow during exercise.
Doing breathing exercises before starting any workout is highly effective. These exercises should be done regularly and precisely, and by practicing these breathing techniques, exercise will become somewhat easier for you. Here are the best breathing exercises for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases:
Pursed lip breathing helps reduce shortness of breath and makes breathing easier. This type of breathing relaxes individuals, releases trapped air in the lungs, and helps you learn how to control your breathing.
How to perform pursed lip breathing:
Relax your neck and shoulders.
Close your mouth and inhale through your nose for two seconds (inhale through your nose).
Purse your lips.
Exhale through your mouth for four seconds (exhale through your mouth).
Note: You don’t need to take deep breaths for this exercise. The important part is breathing slowly and with focus. Repeat this exercise four or five times a day.
Coordinated breathing helps treat chronic respiratory disorder when you unconsciously hold your breath due to anxiety while experiencing shortness of breath. Doing coordinated breathing exercises can assist you during moments of anxiety.
How to perform coordinated breathing:
Inhale through your nose (inhale through your nose).
Purse your lips.
Exhale through your mouth.
Repeat this exercise to reduce your anxiety.
Deep breathing can help when air gets trapped in the lungs, causing shortness of breath. Performing deep breathing will release trapped air and help you inhale more fresh air.
How to perform proper deep breathing:
Sit down and place your hands on your thighs (to open up the chest).
Take a deep breath.
Hold your breath and count to five.
Slowly exhale until you feel all the air has been released from your lungs. Repeat this exercise three to five times a day for better effectiveness.
The diaphragm is one of the most important respiratory muscles. People with chronic respiratory diseases often use the muscles of their neck, shoulders, chest, and back for breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing helps these individuals take deeper breaths and gain better control of their diaphragm.
How to perform diaphragmatic or belly breathing:
Lie on your back and bend your knees.
Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach.
Breathe in slowly through your nose.
Use your abdominal muscles to help you breathe.
If done correctly, the hand on your stomach will rise, but the hand on your chest should remain still.
Exhale slowly with pursed lips.
Repeat as much as you can. For better results, consult your doctor to guide you on the proper technique and repetitions for your needs.
Mucus buildup in the airways is one of the common problems for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Coughing is a natural response to mucus buildup, and these patients tend to cough frequently. The forced coughing technique helps prevent continuous coughing and fully clears mucus.
How to perform forced coughing:
Sit comfortably.
Take a slightly deeper breath than usual.
Use your abdominal muscles to force the air out in three strong bursts.
Rest, and continue this technique regularly for effectiveness. After one round, allow your muscles and lungs to rest before moving on to the next exercise.
The next step in starting exercise is to choose an activity that you enjoy, as interest makes exercise more enjoyable. Having a workout partner can also make exercise more fun. The best exercises for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases include aerobic exercises, upper body strengthening exercises, and weight training.
Useful exercises for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases:
Walking
Jogging
Jump rope
Cycling
Skating
Low-impact aerobics
Swimming
Weight training
Remember to always warm up before exercising and cool down afterward, as this will reduce stress on muscles and joints. Our recommendation is to start with 30 minutes of exercise four times a week and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts. Increasing your exercise for chronic respiratory disorders will not only make it more enjoyable but will also lead to quicker results. Researchers have found that the responses of the nervous system in mice and humans are similar. They plan to extend this research to older mice, as ARDS mostly occurs in elderly patients.
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