Physiotherapy Can Help With Respiratory Conditions
Physiotherapists diagnose neural, muscular and joint pain, locating areas of imbalance that may be contributing to your breathing problem. Once your therapist has identified any areas of imbalance they will use manual therapy and specific rehabilitation to restore these areas back into balance, allowing you to move freely and breath efficiently again. This will help improve sports performance, decrease pain and if you have a respiratory condition, prevent recurrence of your symptoms.
Many conditions that affect the lungs can result in a build-up of fluid in the lungs (sputum). This can cause difficulty with breathing, often leading to wheezing and shortness of breath. Our physiotherapists are highly skilled in using various breathing techniques to drain the lungs of fluid and improve circulation, reversing the effects of chronic lung disease, and increasing patients’ confidence with their ability to manage their symptoms.
Pulmonary physiotherapy is the most effective way to relieve a variety of breathing problems and help patients return to normal activities, particularly those with lung diseases and cancers. It involves a number of chest clearance techniques, including postural drainage, percussion and vibration of the chest wall, phlegm mobilisation and assisted coughing. It can also include coughing exercises and forced expiratory techniques – known as ‘huffing’ – which have shown to be more effective than postural drainage alone.
Daisy is a specialist respiratory physiotherapist who has worked on intensive care units and respiratory wards during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has an extensive knowledge of the full range of respiratory physiotherapy approaches, and can use manual therapy techniques, breathing based exercise and management strategies to maximise your potential to reduce recurrent chest infections.
How Physiotherapy Can Help With Respiratory Conditions
For those who have trouble getting out of the house, Physiotherapy East Sheen has an innovative mobile physio service – Physit. Founded by Phoebe Machin, the East Sheen physiotherapist, this service enables physiotherapists to visit patients in their homes or at work to treat any aches and pains that are preventing them from living their life to the full.
Physiotherapy plays a crucial role in managing respiratory conditions, offering a range of techniques and interventions aimed at improving lung function, promoting effective breathing, and enhancing overall quality of life for individuals with respiratory challenges. From chronic conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to acute respiratory infections and post-surgical recovery, physiotherapy interventions can significantly impact respiratory health and well-being.
One of the primary goals of physiotherapy in managing respiratory conditions is to optimize lung function through techniques such as breathing exercises, airway clearance techniques, and respiratory muscle training. These interventions help improve ventilation, increase lung capacity, and enhance the efficiency of gas exchange, thereby alleviating symptoms such as shortness of breath and respiratory fatigue.
Breathing exercises form a cornerstone of respiratory physiotherapy, focusing on techniques to improve breathing patterns, increase lung volume, and enhance respiratory muscle strength. Techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing, pursed lip breathing, and segmental breathing can help individuals with respiratory conditions breathe more effectively and reduce the work of breathing.
