It is easier sitting watching television or at a computer for longer than we intended when we are certain the least exercise will make us breathless.
With physical muscle conditioning it really is use it or loose it, three weeks without exercise which was tested on NASA astronauts who have good health rigorously screened found their muscle condition deteriorated during one month of enforced bed rest at three weeks they had reached a level where muscle condition from exercise was lost as though they had never taken any exercise.
During exacerbation's the exercise we can do will reduce, after a recent hospital visit as soon as I was no longer ventilated on a mask a physiotherapist was at my bedside with some "mobilizing" exercises telling me by the next day I would be walking.
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Agreed sitting too long is bad for you, even with COPD a little walk up the garden or round the house helps. With arthritis the joints stiffen and the adage use it or loose it is true.
It was really hard starting back after I had a little rest over Christmas lfitness lost faster than its got back again
I do tend to sit for longer than I should, but still make sure I move around some. I'm a natural born fidget, that keeps me moving (blushing)
Good advise and true. I try to exercise but my work means I sit most of the day at a computer. I do walk up and down stairs about 8 times during the day.
During my 'pulmonary collapse' about a year and a half ago, I was completely out of it for a week (unconscious, didn't know if, when, where I was). I woke up and found not a muscle in my body except my eyelids which allowed me to open a close my peepers. I began immediately doing what I could to start moving limbs, muscles and the such. By the next day, I was standing by my bed for a few minutes at a time; by the 3rd day I was walking very slowly around the room as far as my oxygen life line would allow me to go whilst I held dearly onto pieces of furniture.
All the while, the most of nurses kept cautioning me to not keep trying to go so fast; the next day, one of my doctors came in while I was wandering around my bed and commanded the nurse to "Get this man a long air hose!!"
Two more days and it was time to go to another building and re-hab for a week before final dismissal. I grew progressively stronger but when I got home finally I found it was all relative and I was still weak as a kitten. Through slow and steady pushing it over the past 16 mo., I'm finally nearly back to some semblance of stability. It ain't been easy but it's been worth it!!!
I'm beginning to think that far too many people are encouraged to think of themselves as invalids with a COPD diagnosis with no hope of redemption. Never does anyone bring up the 'sedentary' nature of most folks' lives and how to counter that to our benefit. There's more I'd like to say on the matter but this is turning into a novel or sorts.
The thing that's important is "PUSH YOURSELVES" !!!
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How Long is the Waiting List for Spirometry?
Post Covid/Long Covid with Bronchiectasis
do you think I could be long covid
A long wait but finally got there I think
long time!
