Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic and progressive pathology that affects the breathing of patients and impacts daily activities.
As Professor Giorgio Walter Canonica, Head of the Centre for Personalized Medicine, Asthma and Allergology in Humanitas explains: “COPD greatly affects patients’ lives early in the morning, during the day and even at night: 57% of patients have respiratory symptoms at all times of the day, 90% feel them at least in some situations. In the morning it is difficult to take a shower and dry up, get dressed, put on socks and shoes, redo the bed or climb up and down the stairs. Daily activities that become difficult are paving the way for total sedentariness, which frightens even those who take care of the patient “.
The sedentary risk is very high in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: both because of the actual difficulty in breathing and because patients tend to move less for fear that respiratory failure will become worse.
A campaign for movement
However, movement is important and we must remind patients to “GET Moving COPD – More steps, more breath”, a campaign designed by the Italian Society of Pulmonology, in collaboration with the Italian Association of Hospital Pulmonologists.
The campaign highlights how 600 steps per day are enough to improve the breathing and lifestyle of COPD patients.
Starting from April 26th, 132 COPD Specialist Centers will distribute GET MOVING KITs to patients, containing a pedometer bracelet and a dedicated app.
