• For those with chronic asthma, follow the health care provider's instructions for using long-term control medications, particularly inhaled corticosteroids, when prescribed.
• Warm-up and cool-down periods are important.
• Patients with EIA might do better with activities that involve short bursts of exercise (tennis, football), rather than with exercises involving long-duration regular pacing (cycling, soccer, and distance running). In winter, indoor exercise is best. Swimming is particularly desirable because of the humidity.
• When exercising in cold air, breathing through a scarf or through the nose helps warm up the airways.

Effects of Exercise on Emphysema

Walking is the best exercise for people with emphysema. Patients should try to walk three to four times daily for 5 - 15 minutes each time. Devices that assist ventilation may reduce breathlessness that occurs during exercise.

Strengthening Exercises for the Limbs. Exercising and strengthening the muscles in the arms and legs helps some patients improve their endurance and reduce breathlessness

Inspiratory muscle training involves exercises and devices that make inhaling (breathing in) more difficult, in order to strengthen breathing muscles. Yoga or martial arts exercises, such as tai chi, which emphasize breathing techniques and balanced movements, may be particularly beneficial for patients with emphysema.

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Review Date: 05/08/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)