COPD Living With Pulmonary Rehabilitation Benefits for COPD Patients By Deborah Leader, RN Deborah Leader RN, PHN, is a registered nurse and medical writer who focuses on COPD. Learn about our editorial process Deborah Leader, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD on September 19, 2020 Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine. Learn about our Medical Review Board Sanja Jelic, MD on September 19, 2020 Print Pulmonary rehabilitation is the "gold standard" of treatment for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: its goal is to allow you to function (and breathe) at the highest level possible, thereby improving your quality of life. In pulmonary rehabilitation, a patient will learn everything necessary for managing COPD. The topics covered usually include exercise, relaxation, breathing techniques, nutritional advice, emotional support and how to cope with the condition itself. Vicky Kasala / Getty Images Goals of a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program The primary goals of a traditional pulmonary rehabilitation program are to: Minimize COPD symptoms Decrease disability Increase participation in physical and social activities Promote independence Improve the quality of life Reduce hospitalizations, thereby reducing overall healthcare costs Benefits The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation have been studied extensively. They include: Improved survival Improved exercise tolerance Lessened perception of breathlessness Improved quality of life Reduced hospitalization time and hospitalizations per year Decreased anxiety and depression Improved arm function Improved respiratory muscles (when combined with general exercises) Techniques Learned Most pulmonary rehab programs are for outpatients, and normally run two to three times a week for six to eight weeks. Team members may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, psychologists, cardiopulmonary technicians, social workers, pharmacists, and nurses. Among the many techniques you will learn are: How to strengthen respiration muscles so you don't overly fatigue yourself when breathing Pursed-lip breathing How to maintain bronchopulmonary hygiene Coughing techniques to effectively clear your airways Diaphragmatic breathing How to perform aerobic endurance exercises to reduce breathlessness During your pulmonary rehabilitation program, a great emphasis will be placed on patient and family education. This enables you to better manage your disease at home with the help of knowledgeable family members. Is Pulmonary Rehab Covered By Insurance? While most insurance companies will pay for a pulmonary rehab program, check with your physician to make sure you qualify. For a list of pulmonary rehabilitation programs in your area, contact the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (312-321-5146) or your local chapter of the American Lung Association. What Should You Remember About a Pulmonary Rehab Program? The benefits derived from pulmonary rehabilitation are only as good as your willingness to practice what you've learned on a regular basis and to continue to exercise once the program ends. Your program instructor should give you a list of exercises that you should perform at the same time as your supervised sessions at least two to three days per week, either at home or at a local gym. Upon discharge from pulmonary rehab, you should continue an exercise program four to five days per week to maintain the benefits gained from your program. Pulmonary Rehab at Home If you're unable to get to a traditional pulmonary rehab program, join a local gym and enlist the help of one of their trainers. You can also create a pulmonary rehab program in the comfort of your own home. Compare prices on pulmonary exercise equipment for your home and, with your doctor's approval, start your own home-based program today. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. U.S.Department of Health and Human Services: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Pulmonary rehabilitation. The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease. Global strategy for diagnosis, management, and prevention of COPD—2020 update. Corhay JL, Dang DN, Van Cauwenberge H, Louis R. Pulmonary rehabilitation and COPD: providing patients a good environment for optimizing therapy. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2014;9:27-39. doi:10.2147/COPD.S52012 Lan CC, Chu WH, Yang MC, Lee CH, Wu YK, Wu CP. Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COPD and normal exercise capacity. Respir Care. 2013;58(9):1482-8. doi:10.4187/respcare.02051 American Lung Association. The basics of pulmonary rehabilitation. American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Program directory.