How Do You Exercise Safely with COPD

Exercising and being active are important parts of good health, but it can be hard when you have shortness of breath or other symptoms. In pulmonary rehab, the goal is to feel confident in managing your symptoms and taking care of your body. So how do you exercise safely with COPD?

Whether you are exercising or just going about your day, you may experience symptoms that affect how much you can do because of these barriers. Exercising might seem like it's not good for you, but it's actually the opposite. Regular exercise can improve your body's use of oxygen and make it easier to breathe in the long run. That's why exercising regularly and safely is crucial for those with COPD.

To exercise safely, you'll want to monitor your breathing and oxygen, your symptoms, intensity, and other health data like heart rate. The goal for all adults with COPD is 20 to 30 minutes of exercise, three to four days per week. You may not be able to start with that much exercise, and that is okay. You can build up to it slowly and safely.

First, you can monitor your breathing. If you notice your shortness of breath worsens with exercise, you'll want to follow the dyspnea scale. The dyspnea scale is used to measure shortness of breath and make sure you are doing okay. At one, the dyspnea is light and barely noticeable. At two, it is moderate and bothersome. At three, it is moderately severe and very bothersome. And at level four, the dyspnea is the most severe or intense you have ever experienced. At level four, you should call 911 immediately. At any other level, stop exercising or reduce the intensity of the exercise as needed, and calm your breathing down. Remember to breathe in through your nose using belly breathing, and out through your mouth using pursed-lip breathing. Try to slow your breathing down before you continue, or stop exercising altogether. If your shortness of breath continues to get worse, call 911.

If you experience any chest pain or discomfort, dizziness, or you cannot breathe, you can also use the talk test to monitor your breathing. If you notice that you can only speak a couple of words, you're probably exercising too hard, or need a break to slow down your breathing. If you are able to tell long stories or sing, you might be exercising too lightly. And if you are able to speak a couple of sentences, you are in a good and comfortable zone. Try the talk test the next time you exercise.

Next, if you use an oxygen tank or other devices to help you breathe, you may need to adjust the rate of oxygen since you'll be exercising. You should have a pulse oximeter so you can look at your blood oxygen levels as you exercise. Your doctor may have given you guidelines for oxygen levels, which you will want to follow when exercising. Generally, if you ever get below 92%, stop exercising and rest to see if your oxygen levels increase. If your oxygen continues to drop or stays low, you should call 911 immediately.

To monitor your exercise intensity, you'll want to make sure you do not overdo it or cause your symptoms to flare up and get worse. You can use the Rate of Perceived Exertion scale, or RPE scale, which is rated from 6 to 20. A 6 is at rest, meaning you aren't exercising at all, and a 20 is the hardest intensity you have ever been at. For most people, you'll want to stay between an 11 and a 13 — fairly light to somewhat hard. This is a safe exercise range for those with COPD.

Lastly, if your doctor or care manager has given you a safe heart rate range, make sure you monitor your heart rate using the pulse oximeter or an activity tracker like a watch. You should avoid exercise if you are sick, have chest pain, do not have oxygen, or have any injuries.

Exercise for COPD is an important part of treatment that can help you get stronger and reduce your shortness of breath. Exercising safely with COPD is possible by monitoring your breathing, symptoms, intensity, oxygen, and health data. If you have any questions, you can chat with your care manager in the Movn app. Thank you for watching "How to Exercise Safely with COPD." You can find more information on COPD and exercise in the resource section of the app.

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