Physical activity is necessary for everyone to maintain a healthy heart and lungs, as well as strong muscles, bones and joints. Exercise is good for your whole body, puts you in a better mood and even has the power to help you sleep better at night. Your doctor has probably already advised you to get as much physical activity as you are comfortable with. If not, you need to check with your doctor first before starting a new exercise routine. He or she will likely give you some suggestions for things to do.
After your doctor gives you the okay to start exercising, he or she may come to the conclusion that you need to use oxygen therapy while you are working out. Some people who have COPD and might not need an oxygen concentrator while they are going about their normal day, might require one while they are exercising. Your body needs a lot more oxygen while you are exerting yourself, and more carbon dioxide is produced by your body, which needs to be expelled. An oxygen concentrator can help you accomplish this.
Of course, it’s a good idea to start small and take it easy on yourself to see where your boundaries are. If you start to feel bad, or you are out of breath, stop and rest. Always keep a cell phone on you while you are exercising, in case of an emergency. It’s always a good idea to start off your exercise program with a respiratory therapist – they can help you establish just how much more oxygen you need while exercising.
After you know how much more oxygen you need, you can start looking for the right portable concentrator to use while exercising. If it’s determined that you need a continuous flow of oxygen of 2 LPM or less, you could go with the Respirionics SimplyGo.
In general, if you plan on taking your concentrator outside of the home for physical activity, it should be small and light enough so that it won’t restrain you or burden you too much. Your body will get stronger the more you exercise, and you won’t notice your concentrator as much, but you still don’t want it to weigh you too much, or get in your way. Most people prefer wearing them on their back in a backpack. The backpacks also add more protection to our already sturdy portable oxygen concentrators.
Scott joined American Medical Sales and Rentals in 2008 as a Web Manager and Content Writer. He is a writer and designer. He is extensively trained on oxygen therapy products from leading manufacturers such as Inogen, Respironics, Chart, Invacare, ResMed and more.
Scott works closely with respiratory therapists and oxygen specialists to educate the community about oxygen therapy products, COPD, asthma and lung diseases. He writes weekly columns and is passionate about educating the community on oxygen therapy and respiratory issues.
-
Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
-
Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
-
Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
-
Scott Ridlhttps://www.oxygenconcentratorstore.com/blog/author/scott/
I think Simply Go on the back is a bit awkward – I tried it, 10 lbs square plus the accessories to recharge at destination add pounds to that, but oh WOW, the GoLox… thought it was just pulse 1-4 or maybe it has been upgraded since I tried it… at home can one attach directly to the refill station? wow, that would be terrific.
Did you mean this? “If you need a continuous flow of 3 LPM, the Sequal Eclipse 3 would be great because it’s still light enough to wear on your back while you speed walk or go cycling.” ??? but the Eclipse 3, or did you mean the 5
has been back packed by anyone- speed walking or cycling? with it’s accessories that is around 20 pounds. Have you tried it? or maybe John has, I can see he could do it, but seriously, has a patient with lung challenges used it on their back. hmmm, now I have a challenge and will have to try it, if it will fit in my back packs.