Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions worldwide. More than 260 million people are affected by it, and over 450,000 people die from its consequences each year.
In 2020, the guidelines for the NHG Asthma Standard were updated. As part of this update, dysfunctional breathing, a common issue among people with asthma, was also addressed. The guideline recommends referring people with asthma who have an unfavourable breathing pattern, leading to increased symptoms, to a physical therapist for breathing exercises (Bottema et al., 2020).
Research shows that these exercises are truly effective. After six months of breathing training, many people experienced an improved quality of life and reduced symptoms of hyperventilation. The conclusion: People with asthma and disrupted breathing greatly benefit from guidance by a physical therapist (Santino et al., 2020).
SilverFit Flow
The SilverFit Flow is an innovative system that supports breathing exercises in a fun and insightful way. The exercises are presented in a game format, making it easier and more enjoyable for clients to engage actively. Furthermore, the treatment can be fully tailored to the individual client, and progress is tracked after each session. This motivates clients to push themselves a little further each time during the exercises.
Physical therapists, speech therapists, pulmonologists, and respiratory nurses see the SilverFit Flow as a valuable addition to their treatments.
References
- Santino TA, Chaves GS, Freitas DA, et al. Breathing exercises for adults with asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020;3:CD001277.
- Bottema JW, Bouma M, Broekhuizen L, et al. NHG-Standaard Astma bij volwassenen. richtlijnen.nhg.org.
- Effectiviteit ademhalingsoefeningen bij astma. (2020) Huisarts & Wetenschap. https://www.henw.org/artikelen/effectiviteit-ademhalingsoefeningen-bij-astma
