Exercises in the COPD group

The group training is divided into different phases with different exercises. The exercises serve to increase the patient’s endurance, mobility, coordination and strength. Some exercises are listed as examples.

1. endurance 1 minute fast walking, then 1 minute break with breathing exercises. 2 minutes walking or running and correspondingly 2 minutes break with breathing exercises etc. 2. endurance Simple dance exercises under the guidance of the therapist in a group.

3. coordination Group participants line up in pairs opposite each other and throw a ball to each other. To make it more difficult, one leg is then lifted off the floor so that balance must be maintained at the same time. 4. coordination and strength Two participants line up back to back and throw a ball clockwise around their bodies. 5. group stretching The group members line up in a circle and do stretching exercises together, especially for the chest. More breathing exercises can be found here:

Exercises against inhalation pain
Breathing exercises

Breath therapy exercises

Especially the respiratory therapy plays an important role for COPD patients, because with the learned techniques they can control their breathing and thus regain a certain degree of self-control.Typical exercises in respiratory therapy are as follows: 1. lip brake Lip brake is a breathing technique that leads to relaxation of the airways. To perform the exercise, the patient first inhales normally and then puts his or her lips loosely together. When exhaling through the mouth, you must therefore breathe against resistance.

The back pressure of the air increases the air pressure on the bronchi so that they do not collapse. 2. diaphragm/abdominal breathing In this form of breathing the breathing effort should be reduced. To do this, lie on your back with your hands crossed over your stomach.

Now try to breathe in such a way that your abdomen rises and falls significantly during breathing. The easiest way to do this is to breathe in through the nose and out through the lip brake. 3. chest stretching In this exercise you lie with bent legs on one side and lift the upper arm above your head.

Now turn your upper body slowly backwards while breathing in, your knees remain in the starting position. When breathing out, slowly turn your upper body back to the front. 4. stretching of the chest Sit or stand straight and upright.

The arms hang loosely beside the body. During the inhalation lift your right arm straight up and slightly to the left side so that your upper body bends slightly to the left side. When breathing out, return to the starting position and repeat the whole process with your left arm.