Post Covid Respiratory Exercises
We all understand the importance of exercises to strengthen our muscles for leg, arm, knee and all other joints. In the same way we can strengthen our respiratory system including the lungs and muscles which support the system.
Breathing exercises are very helpful in the recovery of post covid patients who had respiratory symptoms. Though each individual is different and require specific respiratory exercises depending upon the condition. Few of the exercises which can be done post covid are blowing with a pipe in a glass of water, holding a piece of paper and blowing it slowly, pursed lip breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, Three ball spirometer exercise. These exercises have been used since years in chest physiotherapy and have lot of evidence support in medical journals .
Like any other exercise program respiratory exercises also need a warm up plan before you start doing the exercises. Warm up exercise include raising the arm in front. we should first sit in a comfortable sitting position and while inhaling raise the arm up. This should be done for 10 times. This prepare the muscles for progression of exercise. The key to this exercise is not to exert yourself. Slowly with regularity of exercises ease will come. Bending to the right side with arm stretched and in the same way bending to the left side with arm stretched. This helps in increasing the intercoastal spaces present between the ribs. More regularly the exercise are being done better are the results and quicker the recovery. 10 minutes of walk should be done inside the home three times in a day . As mentioned above that every individual need and condition is different, it is advisable to consult a physiotherapist and get your specific plan.