Education and Exercise ConditioningThe American Thoracic Society defines pulmonary rehabilitation as a multidisciplinary program of care for patients with chronic respiratory impairment that is individually tailored and designed to optimize physical and social performance and autonomy.
In other words, pulmonary rehabilitation is a program designed to help people with lung disease function to their highest capability and to slow down the progression of their disease. The main focus of the program is patient education and monitored exercise conditioning. The pulmonary rehab team is comprised of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, dieticians, physical therapists, and social services. This group will work together to accomplish the overall goals of the program.
Goals:
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Lynchburg General HospitalThe Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program is a part of the Cardiac Treatment Center. The monitored exercise/education sessions meet in the afternoon three times per week in the Stroobants Heart Center of Virginia at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Anyone with a chronic lung disease is a candidate for the pulmonary rehabilitation program. Most of the participants have emphysema and asthma, but people with pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and cystic fibrosis can benefit from the program, as well.
Being active and exercising is very important for people with lung disease, no matter how debilitated they are. Often people with lung disease get very short of breath with activity. This feeling is unpleasant. To avoid this feeling of "breathlessness," the person suffering from lung disease becomes inactive. The more inactive they become, the more debilitated and deconditioned their muscles become. This deconditioned state requires more energy for activity and the cycle continues. Monitored exercise helps to break this cycle. Pulmonary rehab participants have the security of exercising in a safe environment by having their oxygen level monitored by a pulse oximeter.
Education is also an important component of our pulmonary rehabilitation program. Participants are taught breathing techniques to help them feel less short of breath with activities, how to take and use their medications, how to avoid infections, when to call their physicians, energy conservation techniques to help them with their activities of daily living, stress management, and they are given nutritional guidelines specific for their needs.
If you would like to participate in our pulmonary rehabilitation program, please call (804) 947-4540 for more information or talk to your physician. Your doctor's referral is required in order for you to participate.
Pulmonary rehab also has a support group called Better Breathers that meets monthly on Monday nights. Please call (434) 947-4540 for more information.
