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How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test
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Took a pulmonary function test as part of my annual physical and it shows my pulmonary function has gone down a decent bit. I took a stress test and it looked awesome. Just curious how to improve my test results. This is the test where they have you blow into a tube and measure how much air comes out. Can technique improve how well you score on the test? Is there a way to improve ones cardiopulmonary function?
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [hazben] [ In reply to ]
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If you are an active in shape triathlete, I am not sure you need to do anything to do better at blowing in a tube?

I think that is to catch the smokers and the lazies, not tell you how good of shape you are in.

<--- not a doctor but I play one on TV
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [copperman] [ In reply to ]
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copperman wrote:
If you are an active in shape triathlete, I am not sure you need to do anything to do better at blowing in a tube?

I think that is to catch the smokers and the lazies, not tell you how good of shape you are in.

<--- not a doctor but I play one on TV

And the asthmatics.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [Erin C.] [ In reply to ]
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I am 50 lb overweight. But, I do exercise (run or bike) 1-1.5 hours a day. The Dr said he wanted me to come back in a month so he could retest. He did say this could be a sign of asthma. But, I have never had that before and I don't think it would just come on like that. I would like to believe it had something to do with how I took the test.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [hazben] [ In reply to ]
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hazben wrote:
I am 50 lb overweight. But, I do exercise (run or bike) 1-1.5 hours a day. The Dr said he wanted me to come back in a month so he could retest. He did say this could be a sign of asthma. But, I have never had that before and I don't think it would just come on like that. I would like to believe it had something to do with how I took the test.

What kind of general checkup has you doing pfts? That's usually reserved for patients undergoing a workup for something more critical such as surgery or with a hx of smoking/asthma/copd, certain harmful medications. etc. ...did they give you an inhaler or breathing treatment after and retest you? That's the only definitive way to know if there's an improvement with bronchodilator meds which would indicate you have airway disease...I wouldn't worry much about pft testing if there's no true underlying disease ...they're effort dependent and can vary
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [Tigertater] [ In reply to ]
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Tigertater wrote:
hazben wrote:
I am 50 lb overweight. But, I do exercise (run or bike) 1-1.5 hours a day. The Dr said he wanted me to come back in a month so he could retest. He did say this could be a sign of asthma. But, I have never had that before and I don't think it would just come on like that. I would like to believe it had something to do with how I took the test.


What kind of general checkup has you doing pfts? That's usually reserved for patients undergoing a workup for something more critical such as surgery or with a hx of smoking/asthma/copd, certain harmful medications. etc. ...did they give you an inhaler or breathing treatment after and retest you? That's the only definitive way to know if there's an improvement with bronchodilator meds which would indicate you have airway disease...I wouldn't worry much about pft testing if there's no true underlying disease ...they're effort dependent and can vary

Ever year for the last 10 my PCP has had me take the pulmonary function test. I was under the understanding it was a routine part of your annual physical.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [hazben] [ In reply to ]
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I have to do a PFT each year for work. Nothing hurts me like that thing does. I am a fairly decent cyclist (pretty mediocre Cat 3) and I have to repeat the damn thing over and over to get a satisfactory test. It's horrible.

That's all I have to add. Which I guess I should have posted that HERE
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [hazben] [ In reply to ]
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hazben wrote:
Took a pulmonary function test as part of my annual physical and it shows my pulmonary function has gone down a decent bit. I took a stress test and it looked awesome. Just curious how to improve my test results. This is the test where they have you blow into a tube and measure how much air comes out. Can technique improve how well you score on the test? Is there a way to improve ones cardiopulmonary function?

What numbers were measured and what were their values?
Was there a computer involved or was it was a small, self-contained, device with a ball or slide that moves?

I have a feeling this is just a peak-flow.
Interested if they measured FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75 etc.
Those measure would be more diagnostic

*I'm not a doctor, I just pretend better than others ;)

I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

The above poster has eschewed traditional employment and is currently undertaking the ill-conceived task of launching his own hardgoods company. Statements are not made on behalf of nor reflective of anything in any manner... unless they're good, then they count.
http://www.AGNCYINNOVATION.com
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [xtrpickels] [ In reply to ]
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Have to add that I always feel like a total failure at these (not just peak flow, but all of them). I feel like when the staff see my numbers they're surprised I'm even walking around, they're that bad. I know I don't have great lung function but I generally feel pretty good! I don't know if I just have bad technique or what.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [Erin C.] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe practicing the ole incentive spirometer? I read this article before a climb and figured it couldn't hurt. Maybe it will help with your PF test. http://www.outsideonline.com/...train-your-diaphragm
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [kmill23] [ In reply to ]
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kmill23 wrote:
I have to do a PFT each year for work. Nothing hurts me like that thing does. I am a fairly decent cyclist (pretty mediocre Cat 3) and I have to repeat the damn thing over and over to get a satisfactory test. It's horrible.

That's all I have to add. Which I guess I should have posted that HERE

Thus illustrating how little the lungs have to do with aerobic performance in healthy people.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [Erin C.] [ In reply to ]
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Erin C. wrote:
Have to add that I always feel like a total failure at these (not just peak flow, but all of them). I feel like when the staff see my numbers they're surprised I'm even walking around, they're that bad. I know I don't have great lung function but I generally feel pretty good! I don't know if I just have bad technique or what.

Me too! I fail this test every time! I get the same surprised look from the nurses each time and then re-do it over and over... I never successfully pass
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [xtrpickels] [ In reply to ]
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xtrpickels wrote:
hazben wrote:
Took a pulmonary function test as part of my annual physical and it shows my pulmonary function has gone down a decent bit. I took a stress test and it looked awesome. Just curious how to improve my test results. This is the test where they have you blow into a tube and measure how much air comes out. Can technique improve how well you score on the test? Is there a way to improve ones cardiopulmonary function?


What numbers were measured and what were their values?
Was there a computer involved or was it was a small, self-contained, device with a ball or slide that moves?

I have a feeling this is just a peak-flow.
Interested if they measured FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75 etc.
Those measure would be more diagnostic

*I'm not a doctor, I just pretend better than others ;)

I am not sure exactly what it is measuring. I do know it is a small hand held device which I blow into. I think it may be measuring volume?? When I am blowing and begin to slow down the nurse tells me "keep blowing keep blowing" until I am out of air and I just about have a coughing spell.
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [xtrpickels] [ In reply to ]
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xtrpickels wrote:
hazben wrote:
Took a pulmonary function test as part of my annual physical and it shows my pulmonary function has gone down a decent bit. I took a stress test and it looked awesome. Just curious how to improve my test results. This is the test where they have you blow into a tube and measure how much air comes out. Can technique improve how well you score on the test? Is there a way to improve ones cardiopulmonary function?


What numbers were measured and what were their values?
Was there a computer involved or was it was a small, self-contained, device with a ball or slide that moves?

I have a feeling this is just a peak-flow.
Interested if they measured FVC, FEV1, FEF25-75 etc.
Those measure would be more diagnostic

*I'm not a doctor, I just pretend better than others ;)

It should. If you're doing a PFT test and those results aren't registered, then it's really not a PFT and you're just blowing some gaskets for the technicians sake.

I'm not a doctor, but I have a lung disease (Cystic Fibrosis) that required me undergoing a double-lung transplant five years back. As such, PFT's are a normal part of my care maintenance. I have them done at least five times a year at the transplant center, and I take them myself three times a week at home using a doctor prescribed handheld spirometer.

Essentially, these numbers are the flashing red lights for my lungs and are used to indicate problems. With that said, FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 are the big ones although I mostly focus on FEV1 and FEF 25/75. Given your age/height/weight the program will spit out a predicted value of where you should be all things equal. FEV1 is basically just measuring how much air you can exhale in one second. Hence the 1. The FEF25/75 are used to measure the quality of your small airways, and the higher the better. In my case, moreover, the FEF25/75 trend is a canary in coal mine in that in can indicate your body may be rejecting your lungs. Downward is bad and obviously more tests would confirm rejection.

So for example, the months before my transplant my FEV1 was hovering around 13%. Now I'm at around 80%. Needless to say, cycling has become much easier. Thanks, TrainerRoad! In addition, the FEV25/75 numbers are trending upwards so that's good.

One thing I would caution is that your PFT results will vary, depending on time of day, how you're feeling, and whether or not you put some extra oomph in it. My latest PFT results were down a bit from my previous test, but it was in the morning, humid outside, and it takes a while for my lungs to wake up. When I conduct my PFT's in the afternoon (like normal) they are fine (both at hospital and at home).

Just know you're body and you'll be able to determine if a bad PFT result is something serious that needs to be explored more or whether you just had a bad day. My last PFT result although technically down did not concern me because of the aforementioned reasons and the fact that I went out that evening and completed Monitor on TR with no issues whatsoever.

Tips to improve PFT's? Breathing exercises of which a multitude can be found online. And use your stomach in the PFT test. I always used to inhale using mostly my chest, and this doesn't really incorporate all the air you can push out. So use your stomach, as if you're about to tackle some big climb.

Hope that helps!
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Re: How to Improve Pulmonary Function Test [hazben] [ In reply to ]
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Likely office spirometry. Not clear why you needed it if you are asymptomatic. I have my theories about why it was done but that's just my cynicism speaking out. If you want to get the numbers and PM me, I'd be happy to tell you what they mean, specifically Pre- and Post-FEV1, FVC, FET, FEV1/FVC.

Proper technique will get you a higher number. This would include a proper mouth seal, full inspiration prior to expiration. If you stand up (or sit up really straight) then you may get higher numbers. Doesn't really mean you are getting stronger just that the test is more accurate.
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