Key points
- Physiotherapy starts in the ICU soon after surgery.
- The physiotherapists will support you to sit up, stand and walk as early as possible, even if this feels challenging at first.
- Early movement helps prevent muscle weakness, clears your lungs, and lowers the risk of infection and blood clots.
- Daily breathing techniques help your new lungs work well and recover safely.
The importance of early movement
Even though you may feel you would be more comfortable asleep while the breathing tube is in place, it is much better for your recovery if you can be awake and interactive with staff as much as possible during the day. The physiotherapists aim to get you moving as early as possible to:
- help prevent your muscles becoming weak and stiff
- allow you to cough which helps to clear the secretions from your lungs, reducing your risk of infection
- reduce your chances of getting a blood clot in your legs or lungs
This is the reason why being fit before transplant is very important as you will need to be physically strong to exercise early. Patients who are able to do this recover quicker, and run into less problems down the line.
Getting started
The physiotherapist will also check your muscle strength and do exercises with you to ensure you keep your muscles as strong as possible. It is important that you get out of bed and walk as early as possible after your surgery. This may be sooner than you expect but it is a very important part of your recovery. The physiotherapists and nurses will assist you with this.
They will begin by getting you to sit at the edge of the bed and work towards standing, stepping out to a chair and eventually walking. This can be challenging at first but will get easier. You will be surprised by how quickly you regain your strength once you start your physiotherapy. The physiotherapy team will work with you daily to improve your strength and coordination. They will give you an exercise programme and teach you breathing exercises to help your new lungs to function.
Physiotherapy in the ICU after transplant
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Clearing your lungs
The physiotherapists will come to see you daily to help clear the secretions from your lungs. If you are still attached to the breathing machine (ventilator), they will help you to clear your secretions using a variety of cough techniques and suctioning through a small tube into your lung(s). Your nurse can also do this regularly throughout the day.