Can COPD patients stay fit?

Being diagnosed with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD may be difficult to accept, but it should not prevent one from leading an active and healthy lifestyle. The ultimate goal of COPD treatment and management is to allow one to live a normal healthy life.

COPD patients can stay fit, notes Lisa M. Cannon, M.D. One great choice for physical activity is walking as it can be done anywhere. Logging in 10,000 steps a day helps improve lung and heart health. Indoor and outdoor cycling is a great exercise for individuals with COPD. When riding with a class, be sure to inquire about the workout's intensity to make sure it matches one's health and capacity.

Starting with low-impact aerobics and gradually increasing the intensity is the best way to improve one's fitness level. Before doing any exercise, one must be aware of their strength and endurance level. Swimming improves upper body strength and increases lung capacity and cardiovascular fitness. It may seem like a stretch for anyone with a health condition to try jump rope as exercise, but it is an excellent full-body workout that people of all fitness levels can try.

According to Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., pursuing a healthy and active lifestyle even with COPD only makes a person more receptive to treatment. Incorporating exercise into one's daily routine improves how a person breathes and feels throughout the day. Plus, it reverses deconditioning and boosts the quality of life.

Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., is a board-certified physician specializing in pulmonary disease, critical care, and sleep medicine. She obtained her medical degree from New York Medical College and received her board certifications in critical care in 1998, in internal medicine in 2006, and pulmonary disease in 2007. For more updates, visit this page.