IBAS − Institute for Breathing and Sleep

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ARIEL

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a chronic lung condition that causes stiff lungs and restricts sufferers from taking a deep breath. Exercise in a gym, or swimming, walking or riding a bike, can help make breathing and doing everyday activities easier. Some types of ILD are caused by changes to the connective tissue of the body (CTD-ILD) like in rheumatoid arthritis, and are associated with painful and stiff joints. This can make exercising in a gym difficult and painful. There is no cure for these conditions, which become progressively worse over time and can contribute to a poor quality of life. In this study we will offer people with CTD-ILD twice weekly exercise in a warm pool that supports the weight of the body. We will supervise them closely and measure what happens when they exercise in the water, how they feel about exercising in water and after eight weeks assess whether or not their breathing, pain, ability to do everyday activities and quality of life have improved. This will help us to be confident of the safety of exercise in water for people with CTD-ILD who have restricted breathing, and help us plan more studies to see if this treatment is effective compared to other treatments so that it can potentially be offered to more people with chronic lung conditions in the future.

Full Name

Aquatic Rehabilitation for IntErstitial Lung disease

Primary Investigator

Catherine Hill

Stream

Respiratory > Pulmonary Rehabilitation

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