You are recovering from lung surgery. You may be fighting cancer. You may be dealing with other lung problems. In all cases, it is important to get back to regular activity levels as quickly as possible. Exercise can help you with your recovery process. It provides mental, physical, emotional, and other benefits for anyone healing from lung surgery. Of course, there may be a few limitations on what you can actually accomplish.

Here are a few things to keep in mind during recovery after lung surgery:

1. All people and medical conditions are unique. If you have a major incision going down the center of your chest, your exercise options are different than if you had an endoscopic procedure with a couple of small incisions. With guidance from your doctor, you need to tailor your exercise program to your physical condition. For the most part, you can start doing some activity within hours of waking up from surgery. In fact, it can heal the body faster if you do not just sit around.

2. Activities at shoulder level or above may be tricky for a week or two after surgery. Surgery in the chest affects everything above the belly button for awhile. Doing exercises with your arms up may be painful and not a good thing for your surgical incisions. However, getting active by walking or other aerobic activity is a good way to start getting back into physical shape. Within a few days, though, you may be able to reach above your head for a short time.

3. Sustained activities above shoulder level come with time. As your body heals, you will be able to reach overhead for longer periods. You can begin with activities where you extend your arms at shoulder height. Then you can work up to extending your arms above your head. You may only be able to do one or two reps above your head at first. However, that will change once your body begins the healing process.

4. Walking is a good option to start with. Many find that they can walk within hours of their surgery. Walking gets the heart to going. It also helps rev the other systems of the body up. You have to manage your fatigue levels at first. However, that will slowly change, as you get further away from the surgery.

5. Short bursts of exercise can help in the beginning. Your body is recovering from surgery. After going through the incisions and the anesthesia, your body may feel like a wrung out dish cloth for awhile. However, even walking up and down the hall for two minutes is a start. You will be able to work up to longer and longer distances within a day or two. Short bursts give your body a rev without completely draining your reserves.

6. Strength building is as important as aerobic. Walking helps you get your aerobic exercise on the right track. However, strength training needs to come. The surgery opened up some part of the muscles around your chest. In order to recover from that, you can use strength training to tone those muscles and keep your lungs as healthy as possible.