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Exercises to Improve Lung Function in CF Patients

According to the Mayo Clinic, cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease characterized by a combination of damage to the lungs and other nutritional deficiencies. This can result in a number of symptoms such as bowel blockage, greasy stool, slow development in children, frequent infections and rectal prolapse. Treatment for CF involves a combination of prescription drugs and certain lung exercises to improve respiratory function.

  1. Huffing

    • Employ the airway clearing technique of huffing to improve impaired lung function from CF. Huffing is a technique which is similar to chronic coughing, but it is less draining on the patient, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. To perform huffing, actively breath in and out rapidly, as though you were breathing onto a mirror or window to cover it with steam. Continue huffing for as long as necessary to modulate your breathing ability, using the technique whenever you feel your airways begin to become congested.

    Active Cycle Breathing

    • Perform active cycle breathing regularly to further clear your airways and improve lung function. Active cycle breathing refers to a number of different breathing techniques that are used to bring about an improvement in respiratory capacity in individuals with CF.

      Begin your training with breathing control exercises. Sit in a comfortable position with your hands across your stomach. Breath in slowly, aiming to use your diaphragm to expand your stomach while leaving your upper chest and shoulders relatively immobile. This is contrary to the way most people breathe--by expanding their chest and leaving their stomach relatively flat. Practice this technique for 10 to 20 minutes at at time, aiming to relax your body and your airways to allow more oxygen to get through.

      Perform thoracic expansions following your training of breathing control exercises. To perform thoracic expansions, take a deep breath in, continuing to inhale for a period of three to five seconds. Follow this up by huffing or coughing to expel the air from your lungs. This technique will help to reduce the amount of mucus in your lungs, eliminating a part of your breathing difficulty and improving overall lung function. Continue performing thoracic expansions for five to 10 minutes, performing all lung function exercises at least twice daily.

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