Breathe, Sing, Move!

***On-line Drop-in Singing Class for the duration of the social distancing measures!!!***

Singing is great for people living with lung disease or breathlessness!

Participants of Breathe, Sing, Move! are invited to come sing on Tuesdays from 2:30-3:30 p.m. via Zoom. This program is FREE thanks to the support of the Lung Association of Alberta and NWT. contact breathesingmove@gmail.com or breathewellphysio@gmail.com for more information.

The Breathe, Sing, Move program is designed to incorporate elements of breathing pattern training, breathing muscle strength and vocalization to improve lung health for those with respiratory disease. Patients with mild to moderate respiratory disease including asthma, COPD, CF and IPF are invited to register for the program. No singing experience is necessary.

Physiotherapy based breathing exercises are generally part of pulmonary rehabilitation programs, as previous research has provided evidence to their benefit.   Pursed-lip breathing can assist with decreasing hyperinflation that occurs with COPD.  There is also evidence to support the use of breathing retraining in asthma management.  Research has also shown that singing can increase respiratory muscle strength, improve speech and reduce breathlessness and other respiratory symptoms. It can improve mood, vitality and overall quality of life. Furthermore, singing is a social activity that encourages strong relationships and social engagement between students and with the teacher.

Within Calgary, there is limited access to the Community Accessible Rehabilitation programs, leaving many people with respiratory disease in limbo. There is limited availability of pulmonary rehabilitation programs in the private sector, as this has not traditionally been addressed in the private practice setting.  This program aims to fill the gap in pulmonary rehabilitation by providing an affordable program to individuals with respiratory disease.

Interested participants are invited to contact breathesingmove@gmail.com.

Links to articles written by Dr. Goldenberg about singing for respiratory health can be found on the home page.