Study Links Exercise to Stronger Breathing Muscles for COPD

Sept. 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Studies prove that specific exercises can strengthen  breathing muscles resulting in more powerful lung power.

According to the Journal of Applied Physiology, "strength-training maneuvers may have other associated benefits. They may not only strength train the diaphragm but also strengthen the muscles of the rib cage, abdominal wall, and upper extremities. The increase in PEmax is consistent with a strength training effect on the expiratory muscles of the rib cage and abdomen. The small increase in biceps muscle circumference is consistent with strengthening of the upper extremity muscles. Because the muscles of the rib cage, upper extremity, and abdominal wall are often recruited during breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), training with these maneuvers may provide more benefit than training maneuvers that target the inspiratory muscles alone (18)."

Pulmonary rehabilitation therapy often finds the most successful outcome is by teaching patients correct breathing techniques combined with strengthening the muscles that enable you to breathe. Exercise is essential because the less active you are, the weaker your muscles get. Weak muscles need MORE oxygen and this causes a chain reaction of being short of breath. Suzanne Andrews, star of Functional Fitness on PBS TV and licensed therapy practitioner states, "By practicing a sound exercise program, a good nutrition plan and a doctor's plan of care, some patients who on continuous oxygen therapy are able to discontinue the use of their concentrator and experience the freedom of life without being tied to a tube." Due to the privacy laws, Suzanne Andrews normally can't share patient experiences.  However, a patient who was not expected to live and ended up no longer requiring the oxygen tube was so happy with his results, he volunteered to sign a form allowing Andrews to share his success story below.

http://youtu.be/FdrBmhUjSqE



Suzanne Andrews expertly guides you with the correct way to increase your lung power in doctor recommended Functional Fitness COPD/Asthma DVD. Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational therapy practitioner and Functional Fitness founder on PBS TV, guides you with medically correct breathing and exercise techniques used in therapy practice to increase your lung capacity in just minutes a day. As seen on About.com COPD and PBS TV. Order yours at http://www.healthwiseexercise.com today.