Breathing exercises for cough and bronchitis. Effective treatment of bronchitis with exercises

One of the main goals of therapy for obstructive bronchitis– clear the airways of accumulated mucus and make breathing easier for the patient. In most cases, sputum has a thick consistency and comes out very poorly even with a strong cough. with obstructive bronchitis, improves sputum removal, relieves inflammation and speeds up recovery.

The process of inhalation and exhalation changes during obstructive bronchitis - inhalation is lengthened, and exhalation is accompanied by tension in the respiratory muscles. Therapeutic exercises will help restore natural breathing and ensure full access of oxygen to the tissues.

The main tasks of breathing exercises:

Reduce inflammation and swelling in the bronchi.
Activate blood circulation and increase hemoglobin.
Strengthen your immune system.
Facilitate the separation of mucus from the walls of the bronchi.
Prevent complications.

Proper exercises will help ease breathing, increase the lumen of the bronchi and avoid oxygen deficiency.

Features of gymnastics for children

Unlike medications, physical exercise – safe way treatment respiratory diseases in children. Depending on the age of the child, the doctor gives recommendations regarding the types of exercises, as well as the frequency of their implementation. In children 3 years of age and younger, the respiratory muscles are very weak and do not help enough in the process of removing mucus. Various proprietary breathing techniques make coughing in adults and children much more effective.

When prescribing exercise therapy for children, the following rules should be followed:

Classes begin after the temperature normalizes.
Gymnastics begins with static exercises, gradually adding dynamic ones, taking into account the age of the child.
At chronic bronchitis attention is paid to strengthening the respiratory muscles.

If a child refuses to do the exercises, it is better to transform them into a game form. Breathing exercises can be combined with finger exercises, which children love very much.

Author's methods

There are sets of exercises, the effectiveness of which is recognized by many doctors. The most popular:

Breathing according to Strelnikova. The main thing is that the breath is taken sharply and deeply, often combined with a certain body movement. Exhalation, on the contrary, should be relaxed and performed without the participation of the respiratory muscles.

Gymnastics according to Buteyko. The purpose of gymnastics is to prevent hyperventilation. The technique helps well with bronchial asthma and bronchitis. The inhalation should be shallow, the exhalation should be slightly longer than the inhalation. Between two breaths you need to pause and hold your breath.

Methodology of Yuri Vilunas. Breaths are taken quickly and briefly, like sobs when crying. Exhalations should be long, and after them there should be a pause. This method is also called “sobbing breathing.”

Breathing yoga- a technique known for many centuries. It has a positive effect not only on the respiratory system, but also improves metabolism in general, and also normalizes the functioning of all organs and systems.

Bodyflex– five-stage breathing, which is combined with physical activity. Used primarily for weight loss.

Chinese gymnastics– aimed at improving the functioning of all muscle groups. Helps activate blood circulation, strengthen physical and psychological health.

Drainage gymnastics

The basis of gymnastics is special poses and exercises combined with forced, extended exhalation. Drainage exercises are prescribed for the removal of sputum and are effective in both adults and children. The separation of mucus is helped by positioning the patient in such a way that the head is lower than the body, as well as the participation of various muscle groups during breathing. Some examples of drainage exercises:

Lying on your stomach, place your hands under your chin. Alternately, the legs are pulled back, straining the back muscles.
Lying on your back with your arms along your body For the first couple of minutes, breathing is performed with the participation of the diaphragm at a slow pace. Then, as you inhale, your arms move to the sides, and as you exhale, they return. After several repetitions, while inhaling, bend the knee, and while exhaling, return to initial position.
Lying on your back (without a pillow), raise your elbows up as you inhale, and as you exhale, they lower and compress the chest.

Will help with shortness of breath next exercise: Sit on a chair and straighten your back. As you inhale, you need to spread your arms to the sides and open your body. As you exhale, bring your arms back together. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

Sound gymnastics

The principle is that when sounds are made, vibration is transmitted to the airways, lungs and chest. Vibration relaxes the bronchi, relieving spasms and making breathing easier for the patient.

It is recommended to pronounce voiceless consonant sounds, which require the greatest tension in the diaphragm. With chronic bronchitis, the sound should be soft, you can make sounds in a whisper. With bronchial asthma, hissing and buzzing sounds are necessary. Such articulatory gymnastics It will be useful for children to practice diction.

Among the adult population, chronic bronchitis is very common. A long, protracted illness is characterized by difficulty breathing, dry paroxysmal cough, general weakness and constant discomfort.

However, this disease is most dangerous because it is associated with changes in the lungs (pneumofibrosis and emphysema), as well as disturbances in the functioning of the heart. That is why treatment must be approached as responsibly and comprehensively as possible. Along with prescribed medications, you should pay attention to activities such as exercise therapy and, above all, breathing exercises.

What are the benefits of breathing exercises

Correctly executed breathing exercises help develop lungs, take more productive and deep breaths, train muscles chest, improve blood circulation, reduce swelling. As for, such respiratory activity also promotes the outflow of mucus from the lungs and bronchi, which is an excellent prevention of exacerbations.

After all, the problems that this disease causes are associated, first of all, with stagnation. In addition, by strengthening the muscles of the chest, gymnastics helps normalize the breathing process.

It will help transform a dry cough into a productive (wet) one, thereby promoting the outflow of stagnant mucus.

Breathing exercises performed in accordance with all the rules will increase the protective properties of the mucous membrane, which will have a beneficial effect on improving local immunity.

Together with exercise therapy (physical therapy), they help strengthen the general immune system, as they improve the health of the body as a whole. This means that bronchitis will not be burdened by additional colds and other diseases.

What is important not to forget?

It must be borne in mind that the entire beneficial effect on health is possible only if it is carried out strictly according to the rules. It is unacceptable to train through force or when you feel generally unwell, weak, or have a fever. This is especially important if we're talking about about an elderly person, or he already has certain heart problems.

For bronchitis, the approach to exercise should be systematic - you need to exercise every day, without any breaks or days off. At the same time, do not stop exercising for several weeks. Only then will it be possible to feel positive influence to your health.

Express set of breathing exercises

Sometimes there is simply not enough time for full-fledged classes. And the person begins to exercise irregularly. As a result, no significant effect is observed. For busy people, doctors recommend this express complex.

Breathing exercises consists of only 5 simple exercises and is recommended for the prevention of exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, as well as in cases where general breathing problems are observed. It takes very little time - no more than 10 minutes. But the charge of vivacity will be felt immediately.

Inflate the balloon in a minimum number of exhalations. It is advisable to take a medium-sized ball of soft, thin rubber so that breathing is free, without excessive effort.
Gently pinch your nose with your fingers and try to take as full a breath as possible through your nose. Exhale relaxedly through your mouth.
Purse your lips into a tube and take a deep breath, freeze for 2-3 seconds, exhale voluntarily.
Try to suck in air through a wide-open mouth. It is important that the breathing be deep, the stomach rises (this will allow the air to pass through all parts of the lungs).
Inhale through one nostril while closing the other with your finger. Then exhale through the other. Repeat the same for the second nostril. Do not do this exercise if you are sick with a cough or runny nose.

Popular exercises

Doctors recommend starting exercises from the second or third day after the start of drug therapy, so the treatment will be more effective. Ideally, your doctor should provide recommendations regarding exercises that are appropriate for your individual case.

However, there is a universal set that can be done for any form of bronchitis, at any age. You should remember the correct training tactics, because, like any other types, breathing exercises consist of three blocks: warm-up, main and final.

Introductory (warm-up) stage

You need to start training with deep, leisurely inhalations and exhalations, which should be repeated 15 times with your mouth and the same number with your nose. Each approach is done 3 times with breaks of 5–7 seconds. This breathing activity will help set the body up for productive exercise.

Basic complex

Doctors recommend a fairly large volume of exercises as the main block of breathing exercises. However, if you feel some discomfort or get tired quickly, you can reduce their number to 3.

Below is a list of the most popular exercises that are easy to perform without consulting a trainer.

Most of the listed exercises often included in exercise therapy complex, since they involve a certain physical activity.

Stretching. Connect both hands into a fist and, while inhaling, stretch them upward, fixing the position for a couple of seconds. Then, with a slow exhalation, lower your arms. Repeat 6 times in one approach.
Walking in place. Do the exercise in a well-ventilated area, try to breathe deeply. You can raise and lower your arms in rhythm with your step (however, this is not at all necessary for older people).

Flexible slopes. From a standing position, slowly lean forward a little and at the same time extend your arms parallel to the floor (inhale), and rise as you exit. As you inhale, bend slightly back and place your raised and closed arms behind your shoulders, and while exhaling intensely, return to the starting position. This exercise should be performed without pauses or stops, smoothly moving from one pose to the next. Do 3–5 approaches.
Wave your arms. Standing straight, alternately swing your arms back and forth. Accompany the exercises with frequent breathing - inhaling through the mouth, noisy exhaling through the nose. With such intense breathing, it is very important to monitor your well-being; if you suddenly feel dizzy, it is better to stop the exercise, sit down, close your eyes and take a deep breath (in about 7 seconds - the easiest way is to count to seven to yourself) and exhale for the same long time.

The final stage

The exercises in this group are designed to restore strength after training and bring breathing back to normal. They need to start with a short break after the last one from the basic group. 5-6 seconds will be enough.

Popular breathing exercises at this stage are as follows: stand straight, relax your muscles, slowly bend first to one side, then to the other, alternating with each bend, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. This is done very smoothly, at least 6 times in each direction.

If after this amount the breathing does not become even and measured, then you can repeat the bends another 5-6 times.

Additional Methods

Breathing exercises play a leading role in various problems with the bronchi, but it is best to combine it with exercise therapy and massages. As physical therapy for exacerbations of bronchitis it will be quite sufficient normal walking in the rhythm that your health allows. It is advisable to spend at least an hour on the move and take walks in parks, forests or embankments. You can also do yoga, but only under the supervision of a trainer.

Diseases of the lungs and bronchi lead to difficulty breathing, which reduces the quality of life. Exercise therapy for bronchitis will not only help get rid of unpleasant symptoms, but will also contribute to faster treatment. However, it should be used in combination with medicines prescribed by a doctor.

Why do gymnastics

Physical therapy for bronchitis gives positive results due to the fact that after it:

the severity of the inflammatory process in the bronchi decreases;
hemoglobin increases;
there is a general strengthening of the immune system;
intensive sputum discharge begins.

Exercise not only improves a person’s well-being, but also improves their mood. For preventive purposes, they can be performed by the whole family, and it’s a lot of fun.

How to breathe correctly during gymnastics

So that exercise therapy for bronchitis and pneumonia gives good effect, you need to learn to breathe correctly during it.

If the breath is taken through the mouth, it should be sharp and intense. If it is done through the nose, inhale slowly and deeply. Exhalation can be through the nose and through the mouth.

The patient can perform the exercises from any position convenient for him (sitting, lying or standing). The main thing is that it is easy for him to breathe.

Gymnastics with a child

If your baby has breathing problems, the doctor may prescribe exercise therapy. It is better for the child to be taught by an experienced instructor. But if this is not possible, they are made independently. In order for the baby to perform all the exercises, he must be interested. To do this, gymnastics should be done in a playful way.

For example, to train a child’s breathing, you can race with him to inflate Balloons. You can also invite him to blow soap bubbles. After this, blow them up so that they do not fall to the ground.

It is enough for children to carry out such exercises for only 10-15 minutes so that the lungs are saturated with a sufficient amount of oxygen.

Carrying out gymnastics for bronchitis

Breathing exercises help quickly cure an acute illness. If the disease is chronic, they will need to be performed regularly and systematically over several months and even years. In addition, exercises are effective for obstructive bronchitis. Doctors also recommend doing gymnastics with children to prevent seasonal colds.

There are 3 stages of exercise. The first is preparatory, aimed at preparing the body for the complex. The second is the gymnastics itself, and the third is the final one.

Preparatory stage

Before the main complex it is necessary to carry out simple exercises to prepare the lungs. If you start gymnastics right away, the organ will quickly get tired, so you will only be able to complete part of the complex.

So, you need to take a deep breath and exhale 15 times through your nose, and then 15 times through your mouth. Then repeat the exercise, only the inhalations and exhalations should be faster and shorter.

Main stage

Therapeutic gymnastics includes the following exercises:

I.P. – straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms stretched up. On the count of 1, stand on your toes and inhale deeply through your nose. On the count of 2, lower your hands down, exhale all the air through your mouth, say “oooh”. Repeat the exercise 5 times.
I.P. – hands on the belt, legs together. Start walking in place, raise your arms up - inhale, lower them down - exhale. As you exhale, say “tu-u-u-u.” Repeat 5-6 times.
I.P. – sitting in the lotus position, hands clenched in fists. As you inhale, raise your arms up, as you exhale, lower them. Perform 6 repetitions.
I.P. – sitting, legs slightly bent at the knees, raised, feet not touching the floor. Inhaling deeply through your mouth, stretch your arms in different directions. While exhaling, lower your arms down, while saying “f-f-f”, trying not to close your lips.
I.P. – standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your arms back and forth. During this, inhale frequently through your mouth and exhale through your nose. Perform 5-6 repetitions.

In acute bronchitis, severe coughing may occur during exercise. In this case, it is better to stop the complex.

To reduce the severity of the cough, you need to lower your head down, cross your palms on your stomach (the navel should be between them), and lightly press on it. At the same time, start coughing to provoke accelerated sputum discharge.

Final stage

After the main complex is completed, it is necessary to carry out the final exercise. To do this, stand on your feet, lower your arms down and begin to lean first to one side, then to the other. When bending over, inhale, and when returning to I.P. - exhale. Perform at a calm pace, slowly. Repeat 5-6 times.

Gymnastics Strelnikova

A.N. Strelnikova believed that most diseases are associated with poor ventilation of the lungs, which is why the body is poorly saturated with oxygen. This is the basis of the technique she developed aimed at correcting breathing.

Gymnastics according to Strelnikova is effective for both acute and chronic bronchitis. With the help of simple exercises, you can restore lung function, even out nasal breathing, and also reduce the severity of the inflammatory process.

The main symptom of the disease is a dry cough. After classes, increased release of sputum begins, coughing becomes easier, and in general it becomes easier to breathe.

The main principle of such gymnastics is that the breath should be taken through the nose, and it should be short and fast.. Due to this, the body is well enriched with oxygen, due to which the blood composition is normalized and the heart rhythm is restored.

After every 8 repetitions, take a break for 4-5 seconds. In total, you need to perform each exercise 32 times in 4 approaches.

Strelnikova developed the following set of exercises:

"Pump". I.P. – standing, arms down. Bend down, taking a noisy breath through your nose. Rise up – exhale through your mouth. Perform it freely, without straining. If a person is not feeling well, the exercise can be done in a sitting position.
“Hug your shoulders.” I.P. – standing, arms bent at chest level. With a sharp inhalation, they cross, as if the person wants to hug his shoulders. As you exhale, open your arms slightly. They must move in the same direction every time. That is, they should not be alternated. It is also not recommended to strain yourself too much.
"Eights". I.P. – standing, slightly tilting your body forward. Take a deep breath, then hold your breath. Count to eight and then exhale.
"Palms." I.P. – standing, legs slightly apart, arms bent vertically at the elbows. When you inhale deeply, your palms clench into a fist, and when you exhale through your mouth, they unclench.
"Cat". I.P. – standing, arms bent into fists in front of the chest. As you inhale, squat down slightly and rotate your torso; as you exhale, take the I.P.

To treat pulmonary pathologies, gymnastics should be performed twice a day for 2-3 weeks. The most effective exercises“Hug the shoulders” and “pump” are considered, so they should be included in every lesson.

Thus, breathing exercises are very effective for bronchitis. They can be done independently at home or with an instructor. The main thing is that they are regular, otherwise there will be no result.

To restore respiratory function, original methods and sets of specially designed exercises are used.

TO best methods, confirmed by practice, include gymnastics by Strelnikova, methods of Buteyko, Yuri Vilunas.

Breathing according to Strelnikova

Strelnikova’s gymnastics for the lungs help with obstruction and during the recovery period.

The purpose of the complex is to maximize the involvement of the diaphragm muscles in the process due to increased sharp inhalation. The exhalation using this author’s technique is imperceptible, almost inaudible.

Strelnikova’s gymnastics have contraindications associated with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure during forced inspiration. Sharp breaths are contraindicated in cases of thrombophlebitis, brain injuries, spinal injuries, hypertension, and high intraocular pressure.

Breathing exercises according to Buteyko

The author of the method believes that the cause of diseases of the respiratory organs is deep breathing- hyperventilation, a phenomenon well known to medicine.

To do this, you need to relax, which will automatically lead to a decrease in the depth of breathing. You need to breathe through your nose.

The Buteyko method allows you to cope with phlegm, cough, teaches you to control breathing, cures diseases of the respiratory organs, heart, and has a positive effect on metabolism in general.

“Sobbing Breath” - gymnastics by Yuri Vilunas

The Vilunas method is also used for preventive purposes, for this you need:

take a breath through the mouth - superficial, calm, shallow;
exhale the air briefly, sharply with the sound “ha” coming from the throat;
followed by a pause of 3 s.

Breathe in this way for 1 minute, which is one session. Sessions can be repeated many times during the day.

Find out about therapeutic massage for bronchitis in our article.

Breathing training for obstructive bronchitis

For obstructive bronchitis, it is useful to perform exercises that relax the diaphragm and relieve tension in the respiratory muscles.

To do this, you need to practice long exhalation.

To lengthen the exhalation, the patient should take a normal breath, then exhale through a straw dipped into the water. The exercise is performed for 15 minutes.

Drainage gymnastics

To remove mucus during bronchitis, perform exercises that improve bronchial drainage.

No. 1. Standing, inhale for several counts (3-6), exhale for larger number accounts (4-7).

No. 2. Take a lying position, stretch your arms along your body. Smoothly raise your arms as you inhale, reach for them at the top point, then, exhaling, lie down on your back again.

No. 3. Lie on your back. One arm is extended along the body, the other behind the head. 1 minute change the position of your hands, breathe freely.

No. 4. Lie on your back, inhaling, spreading your arms. As you exhale, press your knees to your chest, helping with your hands.

No. 5. Perform a pelvic lift from a lying position with your knees bent. Inhale as the pelvis moves up, exhale as the pelvis lowers.

No. 6. From a lying position, exhale, sit up, help with a sharp wave of your hands, try to touch your feet. Inhale while returning to the starting position.

No. 7. Lie on your stomach. Bend your lower back several times, lifting your chest. Inhale while lifting, exhale during the return movement.

Exercises for shortness of breath

Breathing exercises for bronchitis in children

Author's breathing exercises according to Buteyko are used for bronchitis, it is very useful for children, it teaches them to control their breathing and breathe through the nose. Children quickly master the exercises and perceive the methodology well in a playful way.

An example of a Buteyko activity would be reading a text. You need to read the text without starting the phrase with a noisy breath, and during reading it should not be visible that the person is breathing.

The method encourages the child to consciously control the depth of his breathing.

To practice breathing, the child, having made a normal shallow exhalation, should hold his nose with his fingers, close his lips and not breathe as long as possible without straining.

Exhalation after holding your breath should be free.

The breath hold can be 10 s, 15 s, over time the duration of the hold will naturally increase. It is important to teach your child to monitor his breathing and breathe through his nose.

Find out about other ways to treat bronchitis in children in our article.

Breathing exercises after bronchitis

After acute bronchitis, it is useful to perform exercises to finally get rid of shortness of breath and to clear the lungs of mucus residues in the bronchi.

Breathe through your nose, repeat the exercise 8 times:

Inhale - arms to the sides, exhaling, lower your arms.
Hands to the sides, inhale - exhale, hug yourself by the shoulders.
Take gymnastic stick, put it behind your back. Inhaling, bend back, exhaling, straighten, and then, without stopping, lean forward.
Take a gymnastic stick and hold it in front of you. Inhaling, raise your arms up, bending, placing your foot on your toes from behind. Exhaling, return to the original position.
Perform squats, touching your palms to the floor as you exhale, straightening as you inhale, raising your arms.

To train the respiratory muscles and increase lung capacity, children should more often be offered toys such as a whistle, a trumpet, games with inflating balloons, and blowing away imaginary specks of dust.

Gymnastics for adults with chronic bronchitis

Breathing exercises for chronic bronchitis are aimed at increasing the length of exhalation, increasing the tone of the respiratory muscles, and removing phlegm.

To get rid of phlegm, the drainage exercises described above are used. They also perform exercises to improve the tone of the diaphragm and train abdominal breathing.

To improve blood circulation in the lungs, you must first rub your back and chest with camphor oil. Lightly tap on the sternum until you feel a soft warmth. Do exercises at night. Do not wash off the camphor oil, put on warm underwear.

We have prepared material for you in the article about rubbing and massage for chronic bronchitis.

Conditions of classes, contraindications

The study room should be well ventilated. Requires a rubber mat, comfortable sportswear. You should not do gymnastics immediately after eating, if you feel unwell, or have a fever.

Breathing exercises are contraindicated for bronchitis in patients suffering from hypertension, heart disease, and high intracranial pressure.

The treatment of bronchitis requires an integrated approach. Bronchodilators and hormones are used here, but these drugs do not prolong a person’s life, but only improve the quality of life. Necessary conditions for effective treatment are smoking cessation, physical training, therapeutic breathing exercises and oxygen therapy. To make you feel better, we have added video exercises for bronchitis to our section.

Gymnastics for bronchitis, say - No coughing and shortness of breath.

The video talks in detail about respiratory diseases, bronchitis.

If you don’t want to watch the whole video, but just want to watch the exercises, then rewind to 13:30. But we recommend watching the review in full, as the specialist will talk about the most important things and in “understandable language”!

Breathing exercises for bronchitis in adults are the leading method of treating patients. They are aimed at improving ventilation, lymphatic drainage, blood supply to the lung tissue and enhancing drainage of sputum.

Class therapeutic exercises must be regular and daily!