How exercise helps COPD
A small percentage of people diagnosed with COPD lose weight due to the disease. But this often occurs in patients with late-stage emphysema and happens over a long period of time, says Dr. Weinmann. It is attributed to the excessive strain that comes with difficult breathing over a number of years, and physicians often prescribe supplements to help patients maintain a healthy weight.
For individuals who are able, exercise is important for good lung health. It has not been proven to heal the lungs of COPD patients, nor can it turn back the clock, but it reduces weight gain, strengthens the heart and respiratory muscles, helps deal with shortness of breath, and increases overall activity, which makes it easier to perform everyday tasks like walking up stairs, according to Michael Berry, PhD, a chair in the department of health and exercise science at Wake Forest University, in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“If the muscles of the rest of the body are well conditioned, the burden on the lungs to do a task is less,” Dr. Edelman says. “And if the muscles they use to breathe are conditioned, they are less likely to get respiratory muscle fatigue, which is one cause of respiratory failure.”
A 2007 article in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that people who took part in regular physical activity experienced less intensive declines in lung function than those who did not. The study, which took place in Copenhagen over a 10-year period, also found that active smokers who worked out had a reduced risk of developing COPD.
McBride participates in races because they give him a goal and motivation for exercising, which he knows is good for his physical and mental health.
“When I am feeling healthier, I feel better spiritually and I’m more receptive to people in general,” McBride says. “Exercise gets rid of the ‘Why bother, nobody cares, what difference does it make?’ feeling, which does sometimes happen.”
