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Exercise is an essential part of living with CF, as it improves mucus clearance and cardiovascular and lung function. People who exercise regularly report increased feelings of well-being and improved quality of life. There are many different options for exercise, including making it a family activity. Parents should be role models for a healthy lifestyle.Aerobic Activity
This is body movement that increases your heart rate. Some aerobic activities—basketball, gymnastics, jumping rope, lacrosse, running, soccer and swimming---are more beneficial than others. More sedentary activities, like golf and baseball, are still fun but will not have as much of an impact on lung function. Weight Training
Lifting weights three times a week improves both your muscle strength and your cardiovascular function. Weight training also helps fight osteoporosis by strengthening the bones. You'll get better results by increasing the amount of weights you're using. A good rule of thumb is to increase your weight when you can do three sets of eight repetitions at the current weight. Remember to give your muscles at least a one-day break between workouts. Posture
Proper posture is something that most of us forget about, but poor posture can place undue stress on our bodies and adversely affect our lungs. Take a deep breath while sitting upright, then slump over and take a deep breath. When you sit upright, you can get more air into your lungs than when you slouch. People with CF tend to sit in a more slouched posture from all of the coughing that they do. Exercises such as squeezing your shoulder blades together ten times will help strengthen muscles that maintain good posture. It is an easy exercise to do throughout the day. . |
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