Lung health and Parkinson's
Keeping your lungs healthy is important if you have Parkinson’s. Specialist physiotherapist Bhanu Ramaswamy explains why and how physical activity can help improve your breathing and lung health.
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What are the lungs - and how do they work?
The lungs are the parts of the body that we use to breathe. They let oxygen into the blood, which is then circulated around your body and provides you with energy.
Air from the lungs also helps us to create speech and sound, and force a cough strong enough to keep passages clear of phlegm.
When you’re physically active, your lungs increase their rate of breathing to match the action of the heart, which works harder to pump blood faster round the body, particularly to the muscles. The lungs and ribcage are flexible enough to expand like bellows. They adjust to the need for deeper, bigger breaths.
Why is it important to keep your lungs healthy if you have Parkinson's?
Exercising your lungs, chest muscles and rib cage is important when you have Parkinson’s because:
- your chest wall can become stiff, and the muscles weaker. This can make it harder to breathe or cough
- changes in posture can make you bend over or ‘stoop’ forwards, which reduces the amount of air you can take into your lungs
- wearing off and involuntary movements (dyskinesia) can make your breathing more shallow and less regular
It might sound scary, but exercising the lungs is critically important for people with Parkinson’s. Pneumonia is the main reason people with the condition are admitted to hospital in an emergency, and respiratory complications, such as a chest infection or pneumonia, can be life-threatening.
How can I test my lungs?
Below are 2 simple checks that will also strengthen your lungs and keep your ribcage flexible.
If you find some of these tests difficult, such as becoming light-headed or out of breath, this is a sign that you that you need to strengthen your lungs.
If you’re worried about your breathing, or you feel that your ribcage is so stiff you can’t take a deep breath, your GP can arrange a test to diagnose any lung problems.
Breathing muscles
Using a mirror, watch your body as you breathe. We naturally breathe in using the diaphragm, a large muscle at the base of our ribcage. You should see your belly expand and your lower ribs move outward. These areas sink back to their normal position when we breathe out.
If your ribcage is stiff, you may ‘chest breathe’. This is where you see the upper chest inflate and your shoulders move up and down. This wastes energy and is not an efficient way of breathing. Your GP can refer you to a physiotherapist if you need to learn better breathing techniques.
Lung power
Time how long you can hold a note before your voice starts quivering, or the note becomes quieter or strained.
You should be able to breathe deeply enough to keep a loud and good quality note going for 10 seconds. This is the length of time it would take to say a long sentence if you were having a conversation with someone.
Singing, either at home or with an organised group, is a great way to keep your lungs healthy. You can read more here.
How can I exercise my lungs?
If the weather is good, try doing these exercises outside. If you prefer, get someone else to join in with you like your partner or a family member.
Flexibility exercises
Keep your rib cage flexible by trying exercises that open the chest:
- Take both arms behind your body to stretch out the front of the chest, and pull back your shoulder blades.
- Stretch both arms upwards into a Y position. Link your fingers, and place your hands either side of your head. If possible, place your hands on the back of your neck. Gently pull your elbows backwards to stretch the front of the chest.
- Twist your body from left to right a few times to stretch the muscles on the side of the rib cage.
Breathing exercises
Work the diaphragm by doing deep breathing exercises. These are also good for stress:
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position so your body is relaxed.
- Breathe in slowly through your nose and fill your lungs so that you feel your lower rib cage expanding. Hold for a couple of seconds.
- With relaxed shoulders, breathe out.
- Repeat this 3-5 times, at your own pace, but make each one larger than the one before.
Aerobic exercises
Aerobic work or ‘cardio’ increases your heart rate and breathing. This in turn increases the efficiency of your lungs.
- March on the spot for 2 minutes. Hold on to a supportive surface if your balance isn’t good. If you’re not able to stand, try marching in a chair.
- Set as fast a pace as you can manage without having to stop to catch your breath. Slow down at any point if you’re finding it difficult, but aim to get your pace up by the end of the 2 minutes.
- If Parkinson’s affects one side of your body more than the other, it will tire quickly and not keep up as well as the other side. Over time, see if you can pump your arms at the same time, lift your legs higher or march for longer.