Pulmonary Rehab

St. Mary’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program is specially designed to help patients living with chronic lung conditions – including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – improve their day-to-day lives and maximize their independence through exercise and educational programs.

Phase I

Phase II

Intensive exercise and education program that takes place in St. Mary’s Cardiopulmonary Rehab gym. This portion of the program consists of 36 classes over 18 weeks. Each class is an hour and a half and includes a pulmonary education along with exercise.

Phase III

Class-based lifelong maintenance program to help people living with chronic pulmonary conditions prevent complications and stay at their peak level. Phase III takes place at the St. Mary’s Wellness Center, 2470 Daniels Bridge Road just off Ga. 316 between Loop 10 and the Oconee Connector.

What are the key components of Pulmonary Rehabilitation?

Each component helps patients improve their strength, knowledge, mental wellbeing and overall quality of life.

Exercise Training

Upper body: Strengthening the arm and shoulder muscles provides important support to the rib cage, which leads to improved breathing. Increased upper body strength and endurance also leads to ease in everyday tasks, such as lifting items, taking a bath or shower, or carrying groceries.
Lower body: Lower body exercises strengthen leg muscles making it easier for patients to move and stay active for extended periods of time. This improvement in ease of movement provides many patients with the motivation they have been lacking to continue an exercise program, leading patients to feeling better about themselves and better control their symptoms.
Ventilatory muscle training: Strengthening respiratory muscles reduces breathing problems and makes exercising easier for patients. While this type of training is not recommended for everyone, it has been found to be very helpful in patients with COPD.

Education

Educational programs are an important component of Pulmonary Rehabilitation, helping the patient better understands his or her body, disease and ways to improve their quality of life. St. Mary’s Pulmonary Rehab covers a range of topics, such as how the lungs work, information about COPD and other chronic lung disease, understanding the use of oxygen therapy and breathing retraining. Since smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD, the educational component includes sessions and counseling to help patients quit smoking.

How do I get started with Pulmonary Rehabilitation?

Get a referral from your physician. To participate in Pulmonary Rehab all patients must first receive a doctor’s referral. Common referral diagnoses include:

COPD
Asthma
Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis
Interstitial Lung Disease
ARDS
Lung Transplantation

Pulmonary Function Testing

St. Mary’s also provides testing services for lung function. Our sophisticated system provides vital information about lung function, including overall volume, how well your lungs move air in and out, and blood oxygen saturation. Testing is available on an outpatient basis Monday through Friday by referral.

Hours of Operation:

Pulmonary Phase II is 8:30a.m. until 12:30p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday.

Pulmonary Rehab Phase III
*By appointment only.
Tuesday and Thursday
7:00 a.m.-11:30 and 1:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

For more information call: 706.389.2915