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Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more likely to increase physical activity on a day-to-day basis when exercises classes are combined with a confidence-building program, according to researchers from Michigan and Illinois. Those improvements, however, are only short-term and patients return to their original levels of activity once the confidence-building program ends, the study found.

The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2011 International Conference in Denver.

Patients with COPD often have significant breathing problems and lead sedentary lives with little daily physical activity. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs can help COPD patients increase physical activity and improve overall fitness; however, most rehabilitation programs focus on moderate?to-vigorous exercise routines and few patients continue those exercises once rehabilitation ends.

?Recent evidence from other studies suggests that increasing physical activity and decreasing the amount of time spent in sedentary activities could have beneficial health effects that are separate from the effects of exercising, and we believe that increasing light physical activity may be a more realistic goal for people with health problems like COPD,? said study author Janet Larson, PhD, chair of the University of Michigan School of Nursing?s Division of Acute, Critical, and Long-term Care.

?Self-confidence-building programs, or self-efficacy-enhancing programs, have been widely used to promote adherence to exercise programs in the healthy population and they have had positive results in the short term, but long-term change in behavior is still challenging,?she added. ?We wanted to see if these programs might help improve patients? willingness to continue light physical activity once the exercise program ended.?

Source for and more of In COPD patients, exercise progress tied to confidence building: University of Michigan study

Additional Information

Natural Therapies for Emphysema and COPD: Relief and Healing for Chronic Pulmonary Disorders

Breathing Disorders: Your Complete Exercise Guide (Cooper Clinic and Research Institute Fitness Series)

Progression of Resistance Training Intensity among Older COPD Patients: A Comparison of 2 Resistance Training Studies (The Physician and Sportsmedicine)

Source: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/in-copd-patients-exercise-progress-tied-to-confidence-building-university-of-michigan-study/copd/

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