Full breathing

After viral infections (including COVID-19), pneumonia, or severe bronchitis, the lung tissue and chest require careful rehabilitation. The main mistake patients make is trying to immediately return to intense fitness. Physical exertion during lung inflammation is contraindicated, as it can trigger a relapse.

Therapeutic exercise solves other tasks:

• improves mucus drainage;
• prevents the formation of pleural adhesions;
• retrains weakened respiratory muscles.

Breathing recovery exercises

Diaphragmatic breathing

Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. On a slow count of "one-two," take a deep breath in through your nose, inflating only your stomach. On the count of "three-four-five-six," slowly exhale through your mouth, pulling your stomach in. The chest remains still. This restores the function of the main respiratory muscle.

"Hugs"

Sitting up straight, spread your arms to the sides with palms facing up. On a deep inhale, quickly cross your arms in front of you, trying to wrap your arms around your shoulders and compress your chest as much as possible. On a smooth exhale, return to the starting position. Helps open the upper parts of the lungs.

Segmental drainage

For clearing mucus from the lower parts of the lungs. Take a deep breath in through your nose, hold your breath for 2–3 seconds. Then perform several short but strong coughing thrusts, coughing alternately from the left and right sides of the chest.

Shoulder rotations

Place your hands on your shoulders. Perform circular movements in the shoulder joints forward and backward with maximum amplitude. Breathing is arbitrary. Improves the mobility of the thoracic spine.

Side bends

Clasp your hands together above your head. On an inhale, stretch upward, stretching the sides of your torso. On a slow exhale, smoothly bend to the right, then to the left. Stretches the intercostal muscles.

Important recovery rules

• Avoid static positions. Avoid holding tense postures for long periods. Dynamic muscle work ensures better venous return and lymphatic drainage.
• Positional drainage. If a strong cough with difficult-to-clear sputum persists, perform exercises lying on your healthy side or stomach so that the affected area is below the bronchi. Under the force of gravity, mucus will drain more easily.
• Patience. Full recovery of external respiratory function takes from several weeks to months. Regular short sessions of 10–15 minutes are much more effective than rare exhausting workouts.

Before starting exercises, consultation with your physician or pulmonologist is mandatory to rule out contraindications.