POST-COVID BREATHING EXERCISES

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POST-COVID BREATHING EXERCISES
http//www.virtualphysicaltherapists.com/
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Post-COVID syndrome have left many with residual
pulmonary and systemic manifestations. These
lingering symptoms can often cause difficulty in
breathing, fatigue, joint pain, weakness, brain
fog, and loss of taste/smell. The good news is
that many of these issues CAN be reduced and even
eliminated with a Post-COVID breathing exercises
program that focuses on deep breathing, strength,
and endurance.
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Red Flags

• When we evaluate a patient with Post-COVID
  Syndrome, we first address any red flags or
  symptoms that require extra caution, including
• SpO2 lt 90. (oxygen level)
• Tachycardia (fast heart rate gt100 bpm)
• Arrhythmias (irregular heart rate)
• Tachypnoea (elevated breathing rate or rapid
  shallow breathing. Normal 20 20
• br. eaths per minute at rest)
• Confusion
• Thromboembolism (blood clots)
• Education and empowerment are the foundation of
  our Post-COVID program. Each individual is
  coached on how to assess their breathing rate,
  heart rate, and even how to recognize an
  arrhythmia.

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Breathing is our way to get oxygen Oxygen is
not needed to breathe, instead breathing is our
way to get oxygen. Oxygens role is to produce
water and energy we need to use the raw materials
in our body in order to keep our bodies
alive. The reason we breathe harder during
exercise is because when we workout we expend
more energy. This causes our oxygen levels to
drop, forcing us to breathe harder in order to
get more oxygen. As you exercise, an increase in
oxygen is essential so that you can restore what
you are depleting. Oxygen deficiency on the other
hand causes you to feel lethargic and leads to
many problems. Without enough oxygen, your cells
cannot be cleansed from toxins and it lowers your
immune system. Another way to get a sufficient
amount of oxygen is to exercise regularly. The
more oxygen you have, the healthier you will be.
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Exercising enables your body to be more efficient
in oxygenating your body and brain. Exercise
strengthens your heart, increases your blood
flow, strengthens your muscles/joints, elevates
your mood, enhances your immune system, improves
your cognition/concentration, stabilizes your
weight, reduces your risk of many ailments
including, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular, and
helps you breathe more efficiently.
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Hypoxemia is a common Post-COVID symptom Low
oxygen saturation can slow you down and keep you
from performing at your peak because oxygen plays
a vital role in muscle metabolism especially
during exercise. Low oxygen saturation, a
condition known as hypoxemia, occurs when oxygen
saturation levels drop below 95 percent. Normal
oxygen levels should be close to 98 (healthy
adult range 94-98). If your oxygen level drops
below 90, you need to stop and take a break from
exercising/activity to allow proper oxygenation
to your muscles again. Continued exercise with
low oxygen levels below 90 causes damage
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• Breathing Exercises
• Deep breathing exercises have many positive
  effects including
• Improves Oxygen supply Makes each breath more
  effective
• Controls shortness of breath helps slow
  tachypnea
• Improves gas exchange
• Decreases anxiety
• Slows the heartbeat
• Stabilizes Blood Pressure
• The following are some of the breathing exercises
  in our Post-COVID Rehabilitation
• program (Link to video demonstration )

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• Pursed Lips Smell the roses and blow the candles
• Inhale through your nose as long as possible
• Exhale through pursed lips as long as possible
• Segmental breathing
• Focus on each lung region by placing your hands
  over the different lung section noted below. Take
  a deep breath and feel the air enter the specific
  area of your lungs causing it to expand upon
  inhalation and the retract as you exhale.
• Upper lungs hands-on upper traps
• Lateral lungs hands just below armpits
• Diaphragm one hand on chest other on abdomen.
  Focus on the abdomen. Hand on chest should not
  move. Breath deeply. (Your diaphragm is your
  primary muscle for breathing and it is important
  to properly train this muscle for proper deep
  breathing.)
• Lower lungs Hands just below the rib cage

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III. Deep breath and hold
Inhale 3 sec. Hold 4 sec. Exhale 5 sec IV. Straw
Exercise Water and straw 1. Inhale through
nose. 2. Blow out to form bubbles
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• V. Breath with arm movements
• Flexion move you arms up in front of you all the
  way up over your head as you inhale. Bring your
  arms back down as you exhale.
• Abduction move your arms out to your side and up
  to ears as you inhale. Bring your arms back down
  as you exhale.
• Trunk rotation Twist your trunk to the right as
  you inhale. Hold 3 seconds at end
• range. Exhale as you return to neutral. Repeat to
  the left side.
• Schedule an appointment now with one of our
  specialists for an evaluation and an
  individualized post-COVID breathing exercise
  program www.virtualphysicaltherapists.com

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Our next topic will be on improving strength and
endurance Post-COVID 19! https//www.scientificame
rican.com/article/how-do-we-breathe/
https//www.webmd.com/asthma/guide/hypoxia-hypoxem
ia https//www.exercise.com/learn/why-is-exercise-
important/
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