Home Based Exercise Training
People with respiratory conditions who have commenced pulmonary rehabilitation should be encouraged to undertake a home exercise program concurrently with the supervised sessions of the pulmonary rehabilitation program.
The home exercise program should be:
- Started within 1-2 weeks after commencing the supervised training program to allow any difficulties undertaking the home program to be discussed and resolved during the supervised period.
- Performed on 2 or 3 days per week (i.e. in addition to the 2 or 3 days that the patient is attending the supervised training program). In total, the patient should exercise 4 or 5 days per week.
After the pulmonary rehabilitation program is completed, patients should be encouraged to follow a home exercise program exercise for a total of 4 or 5 days per week. The home exercise program may include attendance at a supervised maintenance exercise class if available (see Maintenance section).
All participants should be given a home-exercise booklet that includes descriptions and pictures of suitable exercises and an exercise diary to complete. Lung Foundation has developed a home exercise handbook Better Living with Exercise – Your Personal Guide
The home based exercise training program should consist of: |
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Walking for 30 minutes daily - at the same pace as during the pulmonary rehabilitation program (3 to 4 on the 1-10 Borg Dyspnoea Scale). For some people it is necessary to perform two or three smaller walks per day e.g., 10 minutes walking x 3, or 15-minutes walking x 2 with the aim to increase to continuous duration of 30 mins. |
Strength exercise (as a circuit) should be encouraged at least three days per week - similar exercises that are performed during the pulmonary rehabilitation program. |
It is important to progress the home-exercises at the same time as the exercises are progressed during the pulmonary rehabilitation program. |
Tip: In some areas, where the climate is extremely hot or cold, or very humid/windy the local climate-controlled shopping mall may provide a suitable environment for walking training.
The home training program should include the following advice to patients: |
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If unwell (e.g., flu, chest infection) or within 1-2 hours of eating a main meal consider delaying exercise. |
Stop and rest if you develop any symptoms that are not normal for you, such as: excessive shortness of breath; chest, neck or arm pain (stop immediately and seek medical advice); excessive fatigue; dizziness, nausea, light-headedness; irregular heart beat or palpitations. |
For those with bronchiectasis, completion of an airway clearance routine in conjunction with home exercise should be maintained.