So sorry, Kirsten, Jackdup, I promised to post this a while back. This is how my PR course was organised and how I've carried on doing them, twice a week, but there will be other versions.
You can start at any point in the circuit but this is where i begin:
CALF RAISES (up and down on tiptoes, you can hold something for support)
ARM STRENGTHENING (done with e.g. walking stick held out in front of you and swivelling slowly round from the waist from right to left. I put attach a 1 kilo ankle weight onto the stick but it takes a while to work up to this.
You can also do arm circling with arms held out to the side)
STEPPING (you can buy a stepper off the net or any sports shop - you could also use bottom step of staircase but that tends to be higher, too high for me anyway!)
BICEPS CURLS (with weights - alternate your arms)
MARCHING ON THE SPOT (hold dumbbells if you want added exertion)
* WALL PRESS UPS (i.e. like press-ups but off the wall)
** WALKING UP AND DOWN (you can carry weights as you get stronger)
*** SIT TO STAND (up and down off a chair. One way they assess your fitness at PR is to see how many you can do in a minute.)
UPRIGHT ROWS (lifting weights up as high as poss, both at same time)
SQUATS (hold something for support if you need to and they can be quite small to begin with)
Alternatives:
* BALL THROWING (at the wall with your hands behind the ball, i.e. fingers pointing at each other, amazing shoulder exercise)
** SIDE SHUFFLE, (i.e. walking sideways while facing forwards)
*** LEG EXTENSIONS (from sitting, alternately lift up and straighten each leg). I do both exercises, but this is good if you have abdominal prolapses as I do so i never do the full 3 minutes of sit to stand)
What you are aiming at over 12 sessions (twice a week for 6 weeks) is to be able to do each exercise for 3 minutes, with 1 1/2 minutes rest in-between each one. We had a rolling programme so you just started doing as much as you could manage. In some courses everyone starts at once and then the physio will time the exercises starting at 1 minute with 3 1/2 minutes rest and increasing each session.
Warm up first to avoid pulling a muscle, and cool down with stretches after (helps get rid of lactic acid in muscles).
If you are doing them at home, start as slowly as you want - anything is better than nothing - and work up as you get stronger. You can use tins of food for weights.
PLEASE IF YOU AREN'T CURRENTLY EXERCISING CHECK WITH YOUR GP THAT YOU ARE FIT ENOUGH.
Also a pulse oximeter is useful if you are borderline in your O2 levels.
The best thing you can do is get referred to a PR course but they are not available everywhere, which imo is a scandal.
After you've got properly used to these and much fitter, substituting or adding different exercises can be very helpful. Ive added a twice weekly shorter workout of different exercises to the two PR workouts i already do and I've found my O2 levels have increased so that i seldom need to use my ambulatory oxygen now.
I'd love to hear variations in other people's PR courses. And there is lots more on the net with good demos of how to do them.
Take care all, and happy new year to everyone.
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O2Trees
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very useful post for people who not done a rehab course , but you seemed to miss the first thing in the morning exercise 4 mugs of tea to get you going using right hand for 2 and left hand for 2 , and also trying to get the biscuit packet open with out using a knife I spend 3 mins trying then give in and get a knife
Me too, and they're unhygienic, people sweating all over the equipment, yuk. I agree about endorphins, you get that real "feel good" high after exercise.
I was thinking more of dripping hands and foreheads peege! Now I can't get that image out of my head - thanks
This is so helpful Trees, thanks for taking the trouble to post it, as most online "work-outs" seem to be for healthy people. I already walk as much as I can but will try these targeted exercises. My arms are very weak - I'm impressed you've worked up to a 1kg weight on your stick, that's quite heavy! I'm pleased to hear the routine has improved your O2 levels.
That's awesome O2, thanks so much. You got today's exercise just typing all of that. Never thought it would take some much typing so again I really appreciate you taking the time to do this.
Jet wouldn't wait for crumbs he would try get the bread out the toaster , never had a dog like it if you catch him doing something wrong and shout at him he looks round much to say who are they talking to then carry on or he just ignor you completely pretend he is deaf ,
It's outrageous that many people can't, Tee. You could always print this out and take it to your doc to protest, or better send it to your CCG (clinical commissioning group) ℅ your surgery. Improvement from tailored exercise is so evidence based you'd think they'd have caught up by now.
Re the ball throwing, yes, i wondered if i was clear enough.
At PR we had balls which were made of heavy foam, about 10" across and held them with our hands behind the direction of throw, with the BACKS of your hands facing your body. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor with your elbows stuck right out. It feels quite odd at first as its not generally how you would throw a ball.
When i started PR, this was the one which took me longest to build up to 3 minutes. The physio laughed when i told her that - she said the men would often poo-poo the idea that it would be hard but would always collapse long before the 3 minutes was up.
It really works your shoulder muscles.
Hope this helps but do ask if it still isn't clear. If Im doing it at home i use a tennis ball and it works fine.
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Best exercise with a lung condition 
did an interesting exercise yesterday!
family friend emphysema requesting cbd oil south west
It would have helped to exercise my arm and shoulder following lung surgery in order to avoid frozen shoulder
