5 exercises to breathe better after surgery

For better breathing after surgery, the patient should do some simple breathing exercises such as blowing a straw or blowing a whistle, for example, preferably with the help of a physiotherapist. However, these exercises can also be performed at home with the help of an attentive family member who can reproduce the exercises taught personally by the physiotherapist.

Exercises can be started even in the hospital, the day after surgery or depending on the release of the doctor, depending on the type of surgery performed, and should be maintained until the patient no longer needs rest, bed rest, or until he is able to breathe freely, without secretions, coughing or shortness of breath.

Some examples of surgeries in which such exercises may be useful are surgeries requiring bed rest such as knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, and spinal surgery, for example. The 5 exercises that can help improve breathing after one of these surgeries are:

Exercise 1

The patient should slowly inhale, imagining that he is in an elevator that goes up floor by floor. So you should inhale for 1 second, hold your breath, and continue to inhale for another 2 seconds, hold your breath and still continue filling your lungs of air as long as possible, hold your breath and then let the air out, emptying your lungs.

This exercise should be done for 3 minutes. If the patient gets dizzy, he should rest for a few minutes before repeating the exercise, which should be performed 3 to 5 times.

Exercise 2

Lying comfortably belly up, legs stretched out and hands folded over belly. You should inhale slowly and deeply through the nose and then let the air out for good, slowly, taking longer than in inspiration. When you let the air out through your mouth, you should let your lips drop so you can make little noises with your mouth.

This exercise can also be performed sitting or standing.

Exercise 3

Sitting on a chair, supporting your feet on the floor and your back on the chair, you should put your hands on the back of your neck and fill your chest with air, try to open your elbows and when you release the air, try to join elbows until the elbows touch. If you can not sit down, you can still start lying down, and when you can sit, do the exercise sitting down.

This exercise should be done 15 times.

Exercise 4

The patient should sit on a chair and rest his hands on his knees. When filling your chest with air, raise your arms out stretched until they are above your head and lower your arms whenever you let the air out. Exercise should be done slowly and getting stared at a fixed point helps maintain balance and concentration to perform the exercise properly.

If you can not sit down, you can still start lying down, and when you can sit, do the exercise sitting down.

Exercise 5

The patient should fill a glass with water and blow in a straw, making balls in the water. You should inhale deeply, hold your breath for 1 second, and release the air (ball-making into the water) slowly. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

This exercise should only be done sitting or standing, if it is not possible to stay in these positions, you should not perform this exercise.

Another similar exercise is blowing a whistle, which has 2 balls inside. Start breathing for 2 or 3 seconds, holding the breath for 1 second and exhaling for another 3 seconds, repeating the exercise 5 times. It can be done sitting or lying down, but the whistle noise may bother you.

To perform the exercises, one should choose a quiet place and the patient should be comfortable and in a suit that facilitates all movements.

When these exercises should not be performed

These exercises should not be performed in case of:

• Fever above 37.5 ° C because this can be a sign of infection and because the exercises can raise the temperature of the body even more;
• At the moment the pressure is high because they can increase the pressure even more. Here's how to measure the pressure.
• Cardiac diseases, because in this case it is necessary the accompaniment of a physiotherapist because complications can arise.

You should also stop performing the exercises if the patient refers pain at the surgery site while doing the exercises. In this case the possibility of exchanging these for other exercises should be evaluated.

These are just a few examples of respiratory physiotherapy exercises and a physiotherapist can personally indicate other exercises that can be performed at home that are more appropriate to the needs and possibilities of the patient.

Benefit of breathing exercises

Respiratory exercises have several advantages such as:

• Increase the respiratory capacity because it increases the plasticity of the lungs;
• Assist in recovery from surgery more quickly, as it increases the amount of oxygen in the blood;
• Avoid respiratory problems, such as pneumonia, due to the fact that secretions do not accumulate in the lungs;
• Help control anxiety and pain after surgery, promoting relaxation.

These exercises may seem very easy to perform, but they are very demanding for those in recovery from surgery and so it is normal for the individual to become tired and anxious when performing the exercises. However, it is important to encourage the patient to overcome his difficulties, overcoming his own barriers day after day.

If you liked this content, see also:

• General care you should have after any surgery