As part of pulmonary rehabilitation, you’ll get a home exercise plan. It’s a plan for exercises you can do at home to help you keep getting stronger and feeling better.
Doing exercise at home can help you breathe easier, feel stronger, do more things without getting tired, and enjoy a better quality of life.
Your home exercise plan may include information about:
- What kinds of exercises to do. Home exercise plans can include lots of different types of exercises. Some of these might include walking, biking, lifting objects, and stretching.
- When to start doing home exercises. Most pulmonary rehab programs recommend that you start home exercises within 1-2 weeks of beginning the program. They also recommend that you keep doing the exercises after the program ends.
- How often to do the exercises. Home exercises are done on the days you aren’t going to rehab. After the rehab program ends, most home exercise plans recommend that you keep doing the exercises at home 4-5 days each week.
Sticking to a home exercise plan can help you build strength. Over time, you’ll slowly be able to do more and more.
If you’re not sure what your home exercise plan is, ask your rehab health care team. They should be able to help you.
From rehab to home, keep your body in the zone!
