Chest Physiotherapy For Clearing Airways And Strengthening Your Lungs
Some common excercise for your lungs
Diaphragmatic breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing also called abdominal breathing or belly breathing involves completely engaging the stomach, abdominal muscles, and diaphragm when breathing. It helps to slow down the heart rate and stabilize blood pressure.
How to do it:
Step 1: Lie down flat on the floor or the bed with a pillow beneath your knees and head.
Step 2: Relax your shoulders, put one hand above the belly button and the other hand on the chest.
Step 3: Inhale through your nose for about 2 seconds and notice how your stomach moves as you breathe.
Step 4: Slowly exhale through your mouth engaging your stomach muscles, pushing all the air out of the belly.
Pursed lips breathing
In pursed lips breathing, you inhale through your nose and exhale slowly by pursing your lips. This breathing technique helps to keep airways open for a longer time so that you can remove the air trapped in your lungs by slowing down your breathing rate.
How to do it:
Step 1: Sit down in a comfortable position with your back straight and your hand placed on your thighs.
Step 2: Inhale through your nose for 2 counts. Try to fill your abdomen with the air, instead of your lungs.
Step 3: Purse or pucker your lips and breathe out slowly for 4 to 6 seconds.
Balloon blowing exercise
Balloon blowing exercise enhances pulmonary function, respiratory function, and improves respiratory muscle strength.
Step 1: Take a deep breath through your nose without the balloon in your mouth.
Step 2: Exhale all the air in the balloon. Try to inflate the balloon as much as you can.
Straw exercises
Straw exercises are another easy exercise that can increase your lungs strength when suffering from respiratory distress. For this exercise, you will need a straw and half a glass of water.
Step 1: Inhale from your nose and exhale out into the straw to the glass to make bubbles in the water.
Step 2: Take out the straw from your mouth and repeat the same.
Step 3: Try bubbling water better each time.
