Pulmonary rehabilitation

Respiratory disorders are varied; they can be caused by problems with the lungs, but can also be induced by posture disorders, muscular deficits and/or neurological deficits. Respiratory rehabilitation includes all measures aimed at restoring optimal functioning of the respiratory organs.

Symptoms
Treatment
Physiotherapy for breathing
Covid-19
Contact a clinic near you

Symptoms

When the respiratory system is affected, patients may experience the following symptoms in particular:

  • Shortness of breath: dyspnoea at rest and/or on exertion
  • Sensations of tightness in the chest area
  • Bluish lips, nose and fingertips: a sign of oxygen deficiency
  • Pathological bronchial congestion
  • Difficulty breathing out: obstructive syndrome
  • Difficulty breathing in: restrictive syndrome
  • Abnormal breathing sounds
  • Cough
  • Need for supplemental oxygen

Treatment

Our rehabilitation programmes last from three to six weeks, depending on the therapeutic objectives and the patient's clinical condition, and aim to restore respiratory, motor and cognitive skills.
The therapeutic objectives are defined by a multidisciplinary team made up of specialist doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, neuropsychologists and nurses. They may be :

  • Recovering or improving a degree of independence and quality of life
  • Recover physiological breathing that requires less energy
  • Facilitate inhalation and/or exhalation
  • Preventing or stopping bronchial congestion in order to reduce the risk of respiratory infection
  • Maintain stable oxygenation to encourage the body and all its organs to function properly
  • Act as a link between acute care and the home and provide the necessary equipment at home, in partnership with external organisations.

Physiotherapy for breathing

Physiotherapy plays an important role in pulmonary rehabilitation. Special breathing techniques are used to train patients how to increase their breathing volume. Special techniques are also used to stimulate coughing so that secretions can be expelled.

In the event of cardiorespiratory problems, when the organs and muscles are not supplied with enough oxygen, various mobilisation and strengthening exercises are carried out in order to regain the necessary stamina.

On the basis of a medical prescription, the physiotherapist's assessment and the patient's auscultation, the physiotherapist will be able to offer :

  • Pure respiratory physiotherapy techniques chosen according to the location of the problem in the bronchial tree, e.g. directed ventilation, inspiratory and expiratory techniques, etc.
  • Work with external aids (inspirex, acapella, etc.)
  • Work on posture to encourage breathing
  • Research into physiological respiratory movement
  • Work on the tissues to reduce any tension
  • Work on the diaphragm, the key muscle in breathing
  • Re-training for exercise with or without oxygen
  • Physical activity adapted to the patient's problems

Covid-19

While most patients do not suffer any sequelae following infection with Covid-19, some patients with a medical history or age-related fragility of the respiratory tract require a specific therapeutic programme to boost the capacity of the organs concerned. Other sequelae may also occur, such as musculoskeletal disorders, slipped joint syndrome, brain damage, peripheral polyneuropathy (peripheral nerve damage) or fatigue.

In addition to respiratory physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and neuropsychology sessions may be necessary.

Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy aims to help the patient gradually regain independence in activities of daily living.

Goals of occupational therapy:

  • Regaining as much independence as possible in mobility and activities of daily living, for example, washing, dressing, cooking and shopping
  • Restoring motor processes after a loss or reduction of sensitivity
  • Training balance, for example with the Wii Balance Board
  • Helping the patient to resume normal life outside the hospital

Speech therapy and neuropsychology

After a long stay in hospital, some patients suffer from cognitive disorders, such as memory, concentration and speech difficulties.

Our neuropsychological examinations and individual care are part of the therapy to restore the impaired cognitive functions as far as possible.

This enables the patient to resume activities of daily living after returning home.

If intubation was performed due to Covid-19, secondary symptoms such as swallowing and voice disorders may occur.  In this case, speech therapy is carried out. The aim is to restore the patient's swallowing reflex and normal voice.

We find a specialist for you

Choose a specialty Abdominal cancer Achilles tendon rupture Acromioclavicular Dislocation Acromioplasty Acupuncture Adapted physical activity Addiction psychiatry and psychotherapy Aesthetic and corrective dermatology Aesthetic medicine Age-related far-sightedness (presbyopia) Allergology and immunology Alter G Andrology Anesthesiology Angiography Angiology Art therapy Babymoon at Swiss Medical Network Biliary surgery Birth: Everything you need to know Bonding psychology Breast cancer Calcific tendonitis of the shoulder Cancer rehabilitation Canine-assisted therapy Cardiology Cartilage damage Cataracts Cervical spondylotic myelopathy Check-up Child and adolescent psychiatry Chiropractic Colon surgery Coloproctology Computed tomography Corneal diseases Corneal irregularity (astigmatism) Corneal transplantation Cruciate ligament tear CyberKnife® System Da Vinci Densitometry Dentistry Dermatology and venereology Desire to have children Diabetology Disorders of the parathyroid gland Dry eye Ejaculation disorders Elbow surgery Endocrinology Endometriosis Enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre) Erectile dysfunction Eye consultations Eye inflammation Eye surgery Far-sightedness (hyperopia) FEMTO-LASIK procedure Fibroids Foot/ankle surgery Frozen shoulder Gastric surgery Gastroenterology and Hepatology General medicine General surgery Geriatric psychiatry Geriatrics Glaucoma Global reconditioning Graves’ disease Gynaecological examinations Gynaecological oncology Gynaecology Haemorrhoids Hair transplant surgery Hallux valgus Hand surgery Heel pain Hematology Hepatobiliary surgery (liver surgery) Hernias Herniated disc Herniated disc in the lumbar spine Herniated disc in the thoracic spine Hip impingement Hip osteoarthritis Hip prosthesis Hip surgery Homeopathy ICL technique Infectiology Inflammation of the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis) Internal medicine Internal oncological rehabilitation Interventional cardiology Interventional radiology Intervertebral disc prosthesis | Artificial intervertebral disc IVS-3 Kidney and urinary tract diseases Knee arthroscopy Knee pain and knee surgery Knee prosthesis Laser eye treatment methods LBV procedure Lymphology Lyra Gait Mako Mammography Maternity Medical oncology Medical training therapy (MTT) Meniscus tear Migration psychology MindMotion™ GO Morton’s neuroma MRI Multiple sclerosis Near-sightedness (myopia) Neonatology Nephrology Neural therapy Neurological rehabilitation Neurology Neuropaediatrics Neuropsychology Neurosurgery Nuclear medicine Nutritional counseling Obesity and overweight Obstetrics Occupational therapy Onco-haematology Oncology Operations on the eyelids Ophthalmology Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) Oral surgery Orthopaedic rehabilitation Orthopaedic surgery Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis of the ankle Osteoarthritis of the knee Osteoarthritis of the shoulder joint Osteopathy Osteoporosis – fractures in the spine Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) Paediatric eye diseases Paediatrics Pain therapy Pancreatic surgery Papillon Parkinson Pathology Pediatric surgery Penile curvature Penile implants Perineal and pelvic rehabilitation Physical and rehabilitation medicine Physiotherapy Pilates Plastic surgery Pneumology Podiatry Postpartum: Everything you need to know for the first time after the birth Pregnancy Primary care PRK technique Proctology Prostate cancer Psychiatrie and Psychotherapy for adults Psychiatry and psychotherapy Psycho-oncology Psychology Psychotherapy Pulmonary rehabilitation Radio-oncology Radioembolisation Radiology Radixact® imaging system REAplan® - robot-assisted rehabilitation of the upper limbs Regenerative Medicine Rehabilitation Rehabilitation after a knee prosthesis Rehabilitation back pain Rehabilitation Hip Prosthesis Retinal and macular diseases Retinal surgery Rheumatology Robots and medical equipment ROSA® Rotator cuff rupture Scoliosis and kyphosis – curvature of the spine Senology (breast care) Shoulder Arthroscopy Shoulder dislocation Shoulder Fractures Shoulder impingement Shoulder Instability Shoulder prosthesis Shoulder surgery Slipped disc in the cervical spine – cervical disc herniation Small intestinal surgery SMILE procedure Speech therapy Spinal stenosis – narrowing of the spinal canal Spinal surgery Spinal tumours and metastases on the spinal column Sports medicine Standard radiology Strabismus (squint) Stroke Subacromial Impingement Syndrome Surgical oncology Swiss Stem Cells Solutions Switzerland GLA:D® programm Therapies Thoracic surgery Thyroid cancer (thyroid carcinoma) Thyroid nodules Thyroid surgery (endocrine surgery) Torn ligaments/ligament injuries Traditional Chinese medicine Travel Medicine Ultrasound Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) Urogynaecology Urology Vascular surgery Vasectomy (sterilisation/reversal) Vein surgery VELYS™ Visceral surgery Visual disturbances VitalStim Vitreous changes
Choose a hospital Clinica Ars Medica Clinica Sant'Anna Clinique de Genolier Clinique de Montchoisi Clinique de Valère Clinique Générale Ste-Anne Clinique Générale-Beaulieu Clinique Montbrillant Clinique Valmont Hôpital de La Providence Hôpital de Moutier Hôpital de Saint-Imier International Patients Privatklinik Belair Privatklinik Bethanien Privatklinik Lindberg Privatklinik Obach Privatklinik Siloah Privatklinik Villa im Park Rosenklinik Rapperswil Schmerzklinik Basel
Choose a canton ZH BE LU AG SG BL SH BS SO FR GE TI GR VS VD NE

Call us and make an appointment

Privatklinik Bethanien

Centre for Pneumology

Toblerstrasse 51
8044 Zürich

info@klinikbethanien.ch

+41 43 268 70 70

Clinique de Genolier

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Route du Muids 3
1272 Genolier

info@genolier.net

+41 22 366 90 00

Clinica Ars Medica

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Via Grumo 16
6929 Gravesano

info@arsmedica.ch

+41 91 611 62 11

Clinica Sant'Anna

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Clinica Sant'Anna
Via Sant'Anna 1
6924 Sorengo

info@clinicasantanna.ch

+41 91 985 12 11

Show moreShow less

Blog

The benefits of Adapted Physical Activity (APA) for rehabilitation

06.11.2024
Therapies