Inactivity and COPD
The shortness of breath experienced by COPD patients at rest and/or during activities of daily living can lead to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, a progressive deterioration in functional capacity, and possible isolation at home. With progressive inactivity, cardiovascular function and skeletal muscle mass decline. The deterioration in aerobic fitness and strength creates a vicious cycle that leads to greater breathlessness with exertion, muscular fatigue, an eventual loss of functional independence, and depression. A major goal of pulmonary rehabilitation exercise programs is, therefore, to reverse the physical disability resulting from inactivity.