The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Baptist Health Louisville helps you return to and maintain health through diet, exercise and stress control.

The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program is divided into phases:

Phase I

• Exercise and education phase that begins at orientation.
• Receive an exercise prescription tailored to your needs.
• Learn about:
  • Your lungs and lung conditions.
  • Healthy eating.
  • Stress management.

Phase II

• Monitored exercise, diet consultation, education and counseling phase.
• Start your program after orientation.
• Do three monitored exercise sessions each week for eight weeks.

Phase III

• For those who need more help maintaining an exercise schedule.
• Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday; 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
• Spouses may participate with their physician's permission.
• Not covered by health insurance.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

Baptist Hospital offers a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program designed to help people suffering from chronic lung problems (such as COPD, asthma and lung transplants) breathe easier.

Components of the program include:

• Monitored exercise on a treadmill (both heart and oxygen saturation are monitored).
• Breathing exercises.
• Education on the disease process, medical therapy, nutrition, breathing techniques and better body mechanics.

Patients in the program come to the hospital at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

What You Need to Know

• Warm up. Before you exercise, perform warm-up exercises and stretch to prepare for walking or riding a bike. Warming up helps to prevent injury and raises your heart level for exercise.
• Exercise at a comfortable pace. Follow your individual exercise program to avoid injury and overexertion. Exercise only when staff members are present. Your program may include a treadmill, stationary bicycle, Airdyne bicycles and arm ergometer. Staff members provide instructions about equipment use.
• Cool down after exercise. Stretch to prevent cramping and increase your flexibility.
• Physician referral is required.