Exercises to Improve Lung Function in COVID-19 – Dr. G.N Sumanth

As we know ,coronavirus mainly affects your lungs. It is very important to strengthen the respiratory muscles. There are a few breathing exercises which help in strengthening your muscles and improves your lung function. These exercises can be done by any age group including corona affected and non-affected people.

Different types of breathing exercises :-

1. Apical breathing exercise

In this type of exercise, you need to take your fingertips and place below your collarbone and inhale (breathe in) through your nose and slowly exhale (breathe out) through your mouth.You need to breathe out slowly by keeping your lips in a purselip position like how you whistle. While doing this exercise, air enters inside and you will feel a lung expansion and sensation beneath your fingers. Repeat (Practice) this breathing exercise for 10 times.

2. Lateral expansion exercise

In this type of exercise, place your both palms over the sides of the chest wall. Inhale through your nose, hold it for 2 seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. While doing this exercise, your lung will expand sideways and you will feel a sensation under your palm. Repeat this breathing exercise for 10 times.

3. Diaphragmatic breathing exercise

In this type of exercise, place both your palms over your stomach and inhale through your nose and while breathing in your hands should come out and exhale through your mouth. While doing this exercise, you feel your hands are raising up and  while exhaling out it goes inside. It strengthens your diaphragmatic muscles and improves your lung function. Repeat this breathing exercise for 10 times.

4. Inspiratory hold exercise

In this type of exercise, you need to inhale through your nose, hold it for 2 seconds and slowly exhale through your mouth. It’s very important to hold the air, which you have taken in for 2 seconds and release the air slowly through your mouth. Repeat this breathing exercise for 10 times.

5. Huffing & Coughing Technique

This exercise is important, when you have any mucus secretion or flem inside your lungs. It is very important to take the flem out of your lungs. For this you need to practice huffing and coughing technique. After doing breathing exercise, you need to do huff for 3 to 4 times. 

• For huffing technique – you need to take out air (huff) from your neck.
• For coughing technique – take a deep breath and cuff. Don’t overdo this exercise, it should be done under doctor prescription.

6. Using Spirometer Technique

The Spirometer has 3 balls with 3 different colors as shown in the above picture and it is easily available at medical stores. The spirometer should be kept at your mouth level and shouldn’t keep the spirometer up or down position. 

Do this exercise, while sitting and don’t lie down. Keep the mouthpiece inside your mouth and try to take air inside like how you suck. While taking air inside, the balls start raising up. Once the ball rises up,  try to hold the ball on the top for 2 to 3 seconds and slowly exhale and the balls come down.

So, one can lift only one ball at a time and others can lift all the 3 balls at a time. In this process don’t be in a hurry in lifting all these balls. It might cause spacism. You should do it  slowly and try to lift one ball after the other ball and between each inspiration try to maintain 2 seconds of rest and then  repeat for 10 times.

This exercise should be done at least twice a day. With this spirometer, it helps in strengthening your intercostal muscle which is present between your ribs. These muscles become strong and eventually improve your lung function. The Spirometer provides feedback and shows your lung capacity levels like 600, 900 and 1200 and through regular practice it will improve your lung function.

Points to be noted: 

• Try to avoid sitting or lying down for a long time – Try walking a few steps. 
• While lying down, you should not rest on our back. 
• While lying down you can either turn to the left or right side, as per your convenience.
• If you rest on your back, some part of your lung will be compressed and air entry will be less.
• The highly recommended position is lying down on your tummy. 
• If you lie down your tummy, the air entry will be good and recovery will be faster. 
• It’s important to check your oxygen saturation levels with pulse oximeters and maintain more than 95%.
• If the saturation level goes below 85%, please contact your General Physician immediately.

So, keep practicing these breathing exercises on a daily basis and your oxygen saturation levels will be improved.