11. It is very common for people recovering from COVID-19
to feel breathless.
It can make people feel scared, anxious or panicky and
it may limit their activities.
29. A- Positions to ease breathlessness
B- Breathing Techniques
C. Exercise and why it is important?
D. Pacing activity
Breathlessness -A patient’s guide
53. Paced breathing: This breathing control technique can help
when you’re doing something physically exerting such as
going up stairs.
Pace your breathing so that it works in time with the
movement, for instance, breathe in when you’re on the step
and then out when you climb to the next one.
81. You should have received an incentive spirometer when you
were discharged from the hospital.
You should use the incentive spirometer for 15 minutes
throughout the day, and you can break this up into 3
sessions.
85. Regular exercise and management of breathlessness
can help you to break the cycle of inactivity.
86.
87.
88. Spending time in hospital or being ill at home with COVID-19
can cause your muscles to become weaker.
Exercise is important for regaining your muscle strength and
endurance.
89. It's important to remember that returning
to physical activity and exercise must be
done gradually.
90. Regular exercise is good for you but keep in mind that it
will take you time to get back to your normal activities.
1. Start slowly and introduce new activities gradually
2. Set yourself realistic targets each week
3. Rest when you feel tired
4. Do not compare yourself to others
91. It is important to monitor your breathlessness when you
exercise. You should exercise at a level whereby you are
slightly out of breath but still able to talk.
92. Don’t worry if you feel more tired and that you have less
energy than usual. This is normal and may last for up to
6-8 weeks. The key is to ‘listen to your body’ and slow
down.
116. No exercise should be painful. If you experience pain, chest
pain, or feel faint or dizzy during exercise, you should stop
immediately.
Don not restart your exercise programme until you have been
seen by a health care professional.
118. Pacing is a way of breaking activities down into small,easily
achievable parts. Activities will take longer but you will have
the satisfaction of being able to complete a task without
more uncomfortable.
Your activities will become more effective, your mood will
improve and pacing will help you to remain physically active....
Pacing for Activity and Exercise
119. 1. Break activities into small manageable parts
2. Set achievable goals - be realistic about what you can manage
3. Alternate heavy tasks with light tasks
4. Do not rush when carrying out jobs
5. Take frequent shorts rests, they are more beneficial than
fewer longer rests.
Pacing activities:
120.
121.
122. How Do I Pace?
There are three things you can do to help pace your
exercise/activity:
1. Take frequent breaks.
2. Break tasks into smaller chunks.
3. Gradually increase the amount you do.
126. You should expect to have some days that are better than
others. The progress will likely not be consistent or
predictable.
Do not compare today’s results to that of yesterday, or to
how you were prior to your illness, or to other people.
127. Remember that practicing pacing strategies and
staying within your energy envelope is an effective
way of managing breathlessness.
