Lungs in Action is a fun and safe way to exercise with others in a group class. It helps you stay healthy if you have a lung disease, lung cancer or heart condition and have recently finished a pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation program.
You can keep up the benefits achieved in pulmonary rehabilitation and meet others who also understand how you feel.
Lung Foundation Australia provides training for Lungs in Action instructors. Each class is run and operated by trained exercise professionals.
People tell us the program helps them understand their condition better and feel better about doing daily tasks. Almost half say they make friends too.
Why Lungs in Action is good for you
To help you maintain the benefits from pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation, it’s recommended for you to continue exercising 4 to 5 days per week1.
- It helps with breathlessness, making daily tasks easier and helping you do more things on your own
- It helps you meet and spend time with others who understand how you feel, so that you can be part of a supportive community.
What to expect
Lungs in Action classes are run by trained exercise professionals to support people with lung disease, lung cancer and heart conditions.
The classes are developed to suit your needs. They include walking, exercises to strengthen your arms and legs, balancing and stretching. There are exercises you can do sitting down if needed, which is good if you get out of breath easily or use oxygen or a mobility aid.
Who can it help?
To join a Lungs in Action class, you must have an ongoing lung disease, lung cancer or heart condition, and have finished pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation in the past 6 months.
Ongoing lung conditions include:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Bronchiectasis
- Asthma
- Lung transplant
- Alpha1-antiitrypsin deficiency
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Lung cancer.
This program is also good for people with stable heart conditions, who often have similar symptoms to lung conditions, like breathlessness.
How to join
You need a referral from a health professional, such as a lung or heart specialist, rehabilitation physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, nurse or doctor to join Lungs in Action.
You can search for a local class on our Services page. Then, fill out an application form, and our Information and Support Centre team will contact you. They can tell you more about Lungs in Action and any other programs and services that might be right for you.
Resources
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Exercise plays an important role in both your physical and mental health.
Better living with exercise (booklet)
Exercise plays an important role in both your physical and mental health.
Clayton’s story
For Clayton, research means hope of an improved quality of life, more time with friends and ultimately, a
Sources
- Alison, J. A., McKeough, Z. J., Johnston, K., et al. (2017). Australian and New Zealand Pulmonary Rehabilitation Guidelines. Respirology, 22(4), 800-819.
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