breathing-tips-self-isolation

There is one hugely beneficial thing you can do during lockdown; exercise your breathing muscles to become stronger. This is easy to do with a POWERbreathe Inspiratory Muscle Training device, or breathing trainer. It is one of our top breathing tips. It will not only help to maintain your fitness level, but it can help towards keeping your lungs healthy. Furthermore, it will stand you in good stead for when you do get back to your usual workout. However, better still is the fact that you’re doing something positive now to help keep respiratory fit. This is beneficial in a time when your lungs and airways are affected by this new illness.

Breathing tips – POWERbreathe breathing training

POWERbreathe breathing training (officially known as Inspiratory Muscle Training, or IMT) is like dumbbells for your diaphragm. It works by making your breathing muscles work harder, as you breathe in against the adjustable resistance. And, as your breathing muscles become stronger, you can simply increase the breathing load (resistance) to continue challenging your muscles. This is why POWERbreathe breathing training is often referred to as dumbbells for your diaphragm. In fact, IMT is scientifically proven to benefit patients with respiratory illness and healthy people. Also, elite Olympic and Paralympic athletes use these devices in all sports to maximise their gold medal winning potential.

POWERbreathe breathing tips:

  • It is important to keep your breathing muscles in tip top condition because if you do become ill they will fatigue very quickly. 
  • You can improve your breathing technique and strengthen your breathing muscles in the comfort of your own home.
  • You will feel a difference after just 30 breaths twice a day. This is the scientifically proven training protocol (McConnell et al., 2005).
  • In 4-6 weeks of regular training your breathing muscles will have improved substantially and you should feel less breathless.
  • After 4-weeks of training, you can reduce your training to every other day to maintain your improved breathing.
  • You can also incorporate POWERbreathe breathing training into your home workouts.

Here’s 10% off POWERbreathe Plus*

Training your breathing muscles to become stronger is one of our top breathing tips. Therefore, we would like to offer you 10% off a POWERbreathe Plus breathing trainer. With regular use, breathing training will boost your respiratory fitness.

Enter this discount code at the checkout: COVID19

Which POWERbreathe Plus?

If you are new to exercise, then we recommend the Light Resistance model. However, if you exercise regularly and are fit, then the Medium Resistance is more suitable for you.  The POWERbreathe Medic Plus is ideal for people who have very weak breathing muscles that may be due to the natural effects of ageing or a sedentary lifestyle.

Fitness tips – ActiBreathe

ActiBreathe by POWERbreathe is the only fitness training programme to combine the benefits of breathing training with body conditioning exercises.

  • Build strength, stamina, flexibility and aerobic fitness – all in one workout.
  • No gym required. The complete kit includes all equipment, including a POWERbreathe Plus IMT device. If you already have a POWERbreathe IMT device, then the standalone DVD is ideal.
  • Effective workouts in 30-minutes a day.
  • Choose from CardioCurve, AbsCoreMore, MuscleMix or Total Body Conditioning.

ActiBreathe Taster Workout

Breathing tips for those with respiratory problems

Hospitals are using POWERbreathe IMT to improve a patient’s preoperative fitness. They are also using it to help wean patients from ventilators more quickly to make space for new patients. There is one particular study that uses the POWERbreathe KH2 with Breathe-Link Medic Live Feedback Software. This particular device is for healthcare professionals to test, monitor and analyse a patient’s respiratory muscle training programme.

Study findings show that this electronic inspiratory muscle training,

…can be used safely and possibly effectively in tracheostomized patients who are on MV and are being treated in the ICU, as the HR, MAP, RR, and SpO2 were within normal values.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633094/

Furthermore, the study also says that electronic IMT using the POWERbreathe KH2,

…may be effective since it led to an increase in MIP over pre-training values, and weaning time was shorter than in the INP group. Shorter weaning times in particular may contribute to a decrease in the incidence of MV-associated pneumonia and in hospital-acquired infection, as well as to shorter hospitalization times and, consequently, lower morbidity and mortality and decreased hospitalization-related costs.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633094/

Abbreviations for above findings

  • MV – mechanical ventilation
  • HR – heart rate
  • MAP – mean arterial pressure
  • RR – respiratory rate
  • SpO2 – arterial oxygen saturation
  • MIP – maximal inspiratory pressure 
  • INP – intermittent nebulization program

Information about Coronavirus COVID-19

The UK government response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is being led by The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) and Public Health England (PHE). In addition, the NHS website is offering health information and advice regarding Covid19.

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