Respiratory Disease

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program for persons with chronic lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, bronchiectasis or interstitial lung disease. Most pulmonary rehabilitation programs will include medical management, education, emotional support, exercise, breathing retraining and nutritional counseling.

Goals of a pulmonary rehabilitation program:

The purpose of pulmonary rehabilitation is to help people lead a full, satisfying life; to restore them to their highest possible functional capacity; and to help them live a more comfortable and enjoyable life. These goals are often met by:

decreasing respiratory symptoms and complications.
encouraging independence through self-management and control over daily activities.
improving physical conditioning and exercise performance.
improving emotional well-being.
reducing hospitalizations.

The pulmonary rehabilitation team:

Pulmonary rehabilitation programs can be conducted while a person is a hospital inpatient or on an outpatient basis. Many skilled professionals are part of the pulmonary rehabilitation team. In addition to physicians, the team may include:

respiratory therapists
dietitians
educators
physical therapists
social workers
nurses
psychologists
occupational therapists
other allied health professionals

The pulmonary rehabilitation program:

A typical rehabilitation program includes:

breathing exercises
exercise reconditioning
progressive relaxation training
stress and panic control techniques
smoking cessation
educational programs to provide information on:

medication

diet

exercise

caring for and operating respiratory therapy equipment

exercise programs that may include:

calisthenics or stretching exercises to increase flexibility

weight training to increase exercise endurance and conditioning

specific exercises on stationary bicycles, treadmills and other exercise machines

This page was last updated on: January 18, 2008.

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