What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation is an eight-week evidence-based exercise and education program designed to teach patients with lung disease skills to manage their breathlessness, to stay well and stay out of hospital.
What does our programme involve:
An initial in-person assessment with one of our respiratory physiotherapists.
This is an opportunity for us to meet you face-face and perform a basic assessment to ensure it is safe for you to participate in our Pulmonary Rehabilitation program. We will also record your baseline measures which can be re-assessed to track your progress at the completion of the program. We will introduce you to the exercises and ensure you are performing them with accurate technique.
Weekly online group exercise classes
There will be 2 exercise classes per week (each 60 minutes in duration). These classes will run via Zoom to be performed in the comfort of your own home. Basic exercise equipment including light arm and leg weights will be required. Each exercise can be tailored to ensure each participant is working at an appropriate level for them.
Weekly education sessions
In one of the weekly classes there will be a education component. Topics covered will include: chest clearance/breathing techniques, correct use of medication, healthy eating, and energy conservation.
What are the benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation:
- Reduced shortness of breath.
- Increased functional capacity and exercise tolerance.
- A reduction in exacerbations/hospital admissions.
- Improved quality of life.
(Alison et al, 2017)
How much does it cost?
The 8-week Online Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme and your initial consultation with one of our physiotherapists will cost a total of $99. Please speak with a member of our team if financial constraints will limit your involvement.
The Maintenance Phase
If you enjoy your first 8-weeks, there will be an option to enrol for consecutive courses, acting as a maintenance program for those who wish to have ongoing participation in the weekly exercise classes.
Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT)
IMT is a form of resistance (weight) training which strengthens the muscles that you use to breathe. Like any skeletal muscle, when these muscles are loaded, they adapt to become stronger and are able to work for longer. The result is an increased ability to exercise more without getting so breathless.
Within the Pulmonary Rehabilitation program you will have the option to undertake IMT using a POWERbreathe device. The benefits of IMT have been demonstrated in the maintenance phase of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (Ammous et al, 2023).