While most people think of large muscle group movements when they think of exercise, there are also exercises that you can perform using your lungs. These exercises, which include deep breathing and coughing, are especially useful for sufferers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. The exercises will help you keep your breathing regular and your airways clear.
Background
COPD is a blanket categorization for several different conditions. The two primary components of COPD are chronic bronchitis, where the mucus membranes within the bronchial tubes become inflamed; and emphysema, where the air sacs within the lungs grow abnormally larger, letting in too much air. In all cases of COPD, breathing can be labored, and mucus typically collects inside of the air passages. According to MayoClinic.com, deep breathing and coughing exercises are both effective remedies for these problems.
Controlled Coughing
Controlling coughing is incredibly important, as uncontrolled coughing can lead to shortness of breath as well as pain and discomfort. The support network COPD International recommends two main exercises for getting coughing under control. During the first exercise, you must take two to three deep breaths through the nose, and exhale slowly through pursed, or nearly-closed, lips. You then fold your arms across your body, take in another deep breath and lean forward. Now you can start coughing, and as you do, squeeze your arms into your abdomen.
The second exercise starts the same way as the first one. However, instead of making yourself cough, you must exhale slowly and say "K" or "H" as you do. As you get better at the exercise, try to say "K" or "H" multiple times with a single breath.
Breathing Benefits
As MayoClinic.com notes, breathing exercises can help you breathe more efficiently throughout the day, and can also help you relax if you are suffering from shortness of breath. The key to achieving successful deep breathing is to focus your air intake into your diaphragm, which is the muscular organ responsible for inflating the lungs. For optimal results, the University of Texas Medical Branch recommends placing one hand on your chest and another on your diaphragm, which is at the bottom of your rib cage, as you breathe. Ideally, your chest should remain relatively static while the diaphragm expands.
Positioning
You can practice deep breathing and coughing in any position you find comfortable. However, as the University of Texas Medical Branch notes, the best positions are standing and sitting with your back straight, as they allow the diaphragm to expand more greatly.
Tips
For COPD sufferers undergoing surgery, performing coughing exercises prior to the operation will be beneficial. The exercises will help clear mucus from the lungs and airways, allowing patients to breathe more fluidly while under anesthesia. In addition, pre-operation coughing can help patients control their coughing once the operation is over. To help reduce exercising-related discomfort after surgery, patients can splint the area of incision while they breathe deeply or cough. This entails holding one hand below and one hand above the incision.
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