What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a supervised, individually prescribed six-week programme of exercise and education. It can be carried out at a venue local to you or at home with telephone support. It is aimed at people with long-term lung conditions to support you to manage your condition.

What are the benefits?

• Improves the amount of activity you can do.
• Reduces your breathlessness when doing day-to-day activities, such as walking up stairs.
• Improves your quality of life.
• Improves independence in managing your condition.
• Opportunity to meet people with similar conditions and share experiences.
• Increases your confidence to exercise safely.

What happens after I’ve been referred?

Once your referral has been received and accepted, you will have an assessment with a physiotherapist who will discuss your options for pulmonary rehabilitation and plan the next steps with you.

If you need any further medical investigations or you are waiting for results, you may not be able to begin the programme until these tests have been completed.

What will rehabilitation involve?

Classes are twice a week for six weeks but you will also need to take 30 minutes a day to complete some additional exercises at home.

If you are doing the unsupervised home-based programme, you will need to dedicate 30 to 60 minutes a day to complete the course.

Following your assessment, your physiotherapist will advise you on the most appropriate exercises. The exercises will involve some walking, basic aerobic and strengthening exercises.

The course will also provide education on a variety of subjects to help you to manage your condition.

If you are unable to commit to the programme, please go back to your healthcare professional in the future to request a new referral.

Where will the class be held?

Small group sessions are held in community venues local to you. Unsupervised home-based programmes are also available, where after a face to face assessment, staff will support you via telephone to exercise at home. You will need to be able to make your own way to your local venue as the service does not provide transport.

What do I need to bring to the class?

• Clothes you feel comfortable to exercise in, including trainers or shoes with flat soles.
• Reliever inhaler and spacer device, if used.
• Other medications if needed, such as glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) spray or insulin.
• Any walking aid, if required.
• A full ambulatory oxygen cylinder, if used.
• A drinks bottle.
• Reading glasses, if required.

What happens during the class?

The class is led by a specialist respiratory physiotherapist with input from other healthcare professionals.

Each class will include a warm up, exercises and a cool down. Everyone exercises at a different level depending on their ability. You will get out of breath when you exercise, but this is part of your rehabilitation. You will be monitored carefully and never be asked to do more than you can safely manage.

The sessions also include an educational discussion or talk on a topic relevant to your condition.

Virtual programmes utilise different resources to support you to exercise at home. You will be prescribed appropriate exercises by a physiotherapist, followed up with a weekly call where the exercise will be reviewed and education topics discussed.

Other people said…

• “It helped my breathing and overall fitness level.”
• “I found it very helpful and the people who were running it were very friendly and encouraging.”
• “Very helpful to motivate and to give more confidence.”

Useful resources

• Asthma and Lung UK asthmaandlung.org.uk
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service www.kentcht.nhs.uk/service/pulmonary-rehabilitation-service