Read Part 1 of this hot debate here!
A huge body of research agrees with these findings. However, the exact “medicinal” value we can place on physical activity is not yet known. For instance, two questions that many CF patients have is: Can you substitute one time-consuming vest therapy session a day with a certain level of fitness? What the right amount or dose of exercise that would allow you to risk this sort of change in your treatment regimen?
A nationwide CF study
As a member of the Exercise Research Board developed by Cystic Life, Courtney and this committee are planning to come up with answers to questions like these. They are looking for CF patients who are willing to participate in a nationwide study of exercise and CF.
“One of the challenges we face is by designing an observational study is we aren’t intervening at all. Although we expect those who exercise will be interested in participating we can’t have every participant be exercising,” she explains.
“If we did, we’d have no control group. We need the full spectrum from those who don’t exercise, but use their airway clearance therapy (ACT), to those that replace one or their entire ACT with exercise. We are going to quantify what individuals are already doing for ACT and exercise and how this affects their clinical status. Hopefully, our findings will provide evidence to allow the medical community to prescribe exercise to their patients and adopt fitness level assessments into standard practice.”
In a first phase, Courtney’s team is collecting self-reported data on usage of medication, ACT therapies, and exercise via a questionnaire. In a second phase, they are going to utilize devices that monitor the participant’s physical activity and record clinical outcomes like hospital admission, quality of life scores, and changes in pulmonary function. The results they would expect based on their model: The physically active group will exhibit better clinical scores overall, more “good days” between exacerbations, and will require less hospital visits, and less IV antibiotics.
Although aerobic exercise such as running, biking, swimming are sometimes easier places to begin an exercise program, partaking in some form of strength training is also important. Activities like circuit training, CrossFit, boot camps are a good mix of both; for CF patients many of the benefits of exercise stem from increasing ventilation so it is best to choose activities that get you breathing harder.
As with any prescription though, overdoing it is not the goal.
“Listen to your body,” Courtney recommends. “There is no evidence that exercise will impair lung function, but as with anyone you shouldn’t go crazy all of a sudden and consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.”
As long as her study results aren’t in, Courtney’s recommendations are straightforward.
“The point is to try and maximize the gains of exercise for those affected by CF, without discounting the benefits of other therapies that increase wellbeing and quality of life.”
It’s a hot debate right now, and we’re excited to see the outcomes of her study.
About the Author:
Courtney Wheatley, PhD is a Senior Research Fellow at the Cardiopulmonary and Performance Research Lab of Bruce Johnson at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. Courtney did her dissertation on the Endogenous and Exogenous Regulation of Exhaled Ions in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis, and is continuing that research interest in showing the exercise is medicine for individuals with cystic fibrosis and understanding the regulation of the transport mechanisms for ion and water flux in the alveolar epithelium by exogenous and endogenous compounds with application to mediating the improper ion and water movement that is the fundamental pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis, congestive heart failure, and other pulmonary disorders.
Courtney got her B.S. in both Chemistry and Biology from Iowa Wesleyan College and her Ph.D from the University of Arizona. As an exercise addict, Courtney feels blest to have been able to tie her passion for exercise with her research, starting with her doctoral work and now working with the Cystic Life group and in the lab of Dr. Johnson.
PatientWorthy is teaming up with CysticLife.org to spread awareness of CF and support their collaboration with the Mayo Clinic for a community-driven research project investigating the benefits of exercise for CF patients. If you’re interested in contributing to the fund or want to become a CysticLife member, drop by CysticLife.org or donate here today! Don’t forget to share this post!
