The importance of exercise

This Exercise Area is intended for people with Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis (PPF) who have been prescribed OFEV® (nintedanib).

This section was developed to help you stay as active as you can, as it’s important to exercise your lungs as much as possible. You may already exercise regularly, in which case it’s important to keep that up to maintain as much lung health as possible! Exercise is also a good way to release tension, focus your mind on something else and improve your mental health.

The Exercise Area also contains some information on pulmonary rehabilitation, a supervised programme that includes exercise training, health education and breathing techniques for people who have certain lung conditions, including PPF.

You should always ask your medical team if they have advice on the best type of exercise for you.

If you have any questions after reading this information, or any further concerns, always talk to your medical team – they’re here to help you.

Exercise and physical activity: stay as fit as you can

Regular exercise is important if you have PPF, as it helps you maintain muscle strength and keeps the body working as efficiently as possible. Exercise can also improve your sleep, reduce depression and ease anxiety, so it’s good for your mental well-being too.

In fact, exercise is a key part of maintaining your physical and mental well-being and can help you manage your PPF and improve your quality of life.¹ But, of course, exercising isn’t easy when you’re breathless, so start with small steps.

While PPF might sometimes limit the things you can do in your everyday life, you can continue to do the things that are important to you by setting goals to help you adjust.² You can write down your goals and draw up exercise progress charts to help you plan your next steps and track your success. There are lots of ways to stay active such as walking, strength exercises and taking part in hobbies.³

Try walking around the home or garden on a regular basis, and then gradually increase the distance that you walk as you get stronger. Or do something quietly active that you enjoy. Maybe even a gentle dance to some music!

A short walk can also be a useful way to relax

Here is a short guide to how gentle physical activity may be beneficial.

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Your hospital team or GP may refer you for pulmonary rehabilitation, which is an exercise and education programme designed to improve the quality of life for people with lung conditions.⁴ Although not all pulmonary rehabilitation courses are tailored for people with PPF, they will help you to learn how to manage breathlessness, keep your strength and fitness levels up, get advice about diet and exercise, and learn other things you can do to help yourself, so you can live as well, and as independently, as possible.