CF & Exercise

Hi there Rhet, and welcome to Healing well!

From what I have read, and witnessed, excercise is the best thing for people with CF. The more mobile you can stay the better for you.

As for worse or better, I think short term excercise can be very exhausting for anyone with CF and puts people off when they start to struggle. But if you persevere the long term benefits are high. The stronger your chest muscles will be, meaning added help for clearing mucous when you have an infections.
Things like singing and playing a trumpet, can give the lungs a real work out, and in my experiance can be more benefitial than some physio.

Excercise is also good for your mind as well as body. If you are happy with what you are doing and having fun, then you will be able to deal with things in a more positive way. And a positive attitude goes a very very long way, when you have CF.

I hope this answers your question, gives us a yell if you need anything explaining:)

Gemma

Hi Gemma,
Thanks so much for the welcome to healing well!
I agree that exercise is the best thing for anyone including people with cf.
From the research I have been doing on my own about cf and exercise I came across a study which focused on long term aerobic exercise effect in people who have cf, most of the benefits were the same as the none cf population such as increased peak oxygen consumption however it did highlight something that did shock me which was, greater mucus clearance and temporary increase or delayed decline in some indices of pulmonary function, have you experienced that or know why that may take place?

Hi again Rhet,

right ok, to answer some things:

1) Greater mucus clearance

2) Temporary increase or delayed decline in some indices of pulmonary function.

 

1) This is because the most you excercise the heavier and deeper you will be breathing. This will be bringing with it mucous from deep down in the lungs. This will be much better for your lungs and leads to increased lung function, and less infections.

2) As you are excercising, and bringing up all the gunk from deep down, it is leaving behind a bigger breathing space. So you will have an increase in lung function. This may however not stay, because you will still be getting infections, which still cause damage. But I guess you will have a slower rate of damage.

When a person with CF is new to excercise, a monitor should be available for saturated oxygen and heartrate levels. This is because in CF the heart compensates for low lung function. Some people with CF, may be at resting with a 110 heart rate, so could be looking at levels of 160-180 as when they really have to stop and rest. Same with spo2 some may find they have a normal of 99, but desaturate quickly, others may have a normal level of 93, but hardley ever desaturate. Doing excercise in short bursts when you get started, until you notice either level is getting too high or low is probably the best way to go to building up a tolerance to excercise. You can always have another short session later in the day, if you're not too tired.

Jess really does have the best spirit too keep her well. :)

Hope this helps

Gem