Before I attended the course I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t go out, I was in a disability cart.
I was suffering from asthma very badly, I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t talk.
I would get out of breath – I used to walk up Eltham High Street but had to stop every
now and again.
I had very very limited mobility and got out of breath at the slightest exercise.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a seven week supervised exercise programme designed by Greenwich Community
Health Services. It’s for the people who live in the borough of Greenwich who have
a chronic lung condition such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
Patients who are becoming more and more breathless because of their condition will benefit from
attending this course. The exercises are designed to help our patients cope with feelings of
breathlessness and help improve strength and fitness levels.
Evidence tells us that the impact of pulmonary rehab can be extremely significant. Patients
have demonstrated not only improvements in their fitness levels, but also in their perception
of breathlessness, in their quality of life, and a reduction in their levels of depression
and anxiety.
When I was referred to the pulmonary rehab I was very nervous, very apprehensive, didn’t
think it would do any good.
I must admit I was extremely frightened and approached it with some trepidation.
I was a bit apprehensive, I didn’t know what it was going to involve.
When patients first start the classes they are taught how to do the exercises. Each week
they are encouraged to do a little bit more. The sessions always begin with a warm up and
finish with a cool down, with some stretches. The classes are sociable and enjoyable as
there is the opportunity to meet other people who are in exactly the same situation.
When I was referred to exercise I was just amazed to see what they did with me and I’ve
benefited so much that I can’t tell you.
They started giving me sort of confidence, how to handle myself and how to handle my
daily to daily living.
Pulmonary rehab has taught me that exercise is good. People come here, they think they
can’t do this, they can’t do that. They see the machines, they think no, no, we can’t
do that at all, but then they realise they can, and they can go out and they can walk
and they’re not going to fall down and collapse just because they get breathless.
The programme also involves education sessions delivered by a wide range of healthcare professionals.
Patients benefit by learning more about their lung disease and ways to stay fit and healthy.
The sessions include information on:
What is COPD?
How to deal with a chest infection
Respiratory medicines and inhalers
Oxygen therapy
Sputum clearance techniques
Good nutrition
Anxiety and depression
The importance of exercise
Goal setting, and a
COPD quiz.
Patients with chronic lung disease can suffer a lot and the major issue is breathlessness.
This can be extremely distressing and disabling. The natural response is to avoid doing things
that cause patients to become breathless and gradually over time patients can become less
and less active. Their bodies become deconditioned, less fit if you like. The key to this, however,
is exercise and that’s what pulmonary rehab is all about. We do know that exercise can
actually be better than some of the drug treatments that we offer. As healthcare professionals,
we need to change our approach to patients with chronic lung disease and offer exercise
as a treatment via access to a local pulmonary rehab programme.
Since I’ve done the course, oh, leaps and bounds. I can walk, I can breathe, I know
how to control my breathing when I’m getting an attack, I know how to psyche myself up,
I know how to breathe, bend down, bend over. It’s been so informative.
I feel much much better, I can walk, I can climb the stairs quite comfortably, I can
handle my, I can carry some suitcases. At the same time I feel as if I’m sort of rejuvenated,
it’s brought strength into my body you see.
The impact it’s had on my quality of life has been immeasurable, my goal was to take
my grandchildren to Greenwich Park again, because we used to go there a lot, but I haven’t
been able to before the exercise classes. That was my aim to take them back to Greenwich
Park. I succeeded.
Now the confidence to go out has come back. I wasn’t driving before I did pulmonary
rehab and I’m driving again now and that’s given me quite a bit of independence as well.
The best thing I did in my life is meeting my wife, and second best thing I did is I
came to these classes and did my exercise routine for seven weeks and that helped me
tremendously.
Once patients have completed the programme they will have the opportunity to continue
exercising in many different ways. The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team will provide support and
encouragement for patients to ensure they continue to exercise. It is extremely important
that exercise becomes part of a weekly routine to prevent the cycle of inactivity creeping
back in. By choosing an exercise you enjoy, planning it into your week, involving your
friends and family, you are more likely to succeed in staying fit and healthy. This will
also help to maintain all the benefits achieved at pulmonary rehabilitation.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is run twice a week at the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich
and in Eltham at the Eltham Centre. From time to time we also run classes at the Arches
Leisure Centre in Greenwich. If you live in Greenwich, have a chronic lung disease and
are interested in attending the classes, please ask your GP or practice nurse for more information.
It is important that you are assessed for the class to ensure that you are safe to exercise.
This assessment will be carried out by a member of the Pulmonary Rehab team once you have
been referred.
"And what would you say to someone who is watching this that might be apprehensive about taking
the course?"
Oh no, please do take it, it’s brilliant. It is really good, my life is so much better now.
If you’re thinking about it, stop thinking and do it!