Royal Brompton's team of specialist CF physiotherapists (L-R: Zelda Beverley, Helen Parrot, Fiona Cathcart)
At various points during your time at Royal Brompton Hospital, you will see a
physiotherapist who specialises in the care of adults with CF.
If you have any questions about any of the following topics, please speak to the physiotherapist at your next clinic appointment or annual review, or see further details below. For any urgent enquiries, please bleep 7302 or 7310 via the hospital switchboard.
Airway clearance
Your physiotherapist will provide you with an individual airway clearance programme enabling you to clear your lungs of secretions effectively and reduce your risk of infections and potential lung damage. You may require different techniques when you are feeling well compared to when you are not, and you will likely need many changes in your physiotherapy routine through your life. We have experience in a wide range of different techniques and airway clearance equipment.
Watch our patient information films about airway clearance techniques
Exercise
We are here to help you to maintain a good level of fitness and to improve your fitness level after an infection or operation. We will provide you with education on how your body should respond to exertion, give a variety of options for exercise you can do and support you in achieving your goals. We encourage patients to maintain sports-related skills and can give advice on incorporating oxygen devices and injury adaptation for your preferred sports.
Musculoskeletal and postural problems
We provide advice and education for common CF-related postural concerns and we will refer you, if required, to local services that can support ongoing injuries or musculoskeletal pain. During hospital admissions we help patients return to normal functioning. We promote exercise such as sitting out of bed and provide laptop stands to improve posture while working or using the internet.
Read more about posture issues and CF.
Stress incontinence
Leakage of urine is a common complaint in people with lung conditions. Repeated coughing causes a downward pressure on the pelvic floor muscle that sometimes causes the bladder to fail. A simple programme of pelvic floor retraining exercises tailored to either a male or female can help to alleviate or control leakage.
Read more about stress incontinence.
Inhalation therapy
The physiotherapy team is responsible for providing, replacing and instructing you on how to use nebuliser devices. We provide standard air compressors e.g. PARI TurboBOY or Econoneb and eFlow rapids. You may also be suitable for an I-neb device depending on the medications you have been prescribed.
You will receive a yearly supply of parts for your air compressor or eFlow on issue. For annual replacements, queries or filters please call 020 7351 8088. For replacement parts for the I-neb, please call Respironics on 08001300857.
Oxygen therapy
Many patients will require additional oxygen support at some time. This can be for the first few days of a hospital admission when unwell or, for others, it may be for sleeping or exercise. Everyone is different.
You may be required to complete an exercise test to determine if you need oxygen for exertion. This will be completed by the oxygen technician or a physiotherapist.
As physiotherapists we aim to help you incorporate oxygen delivery devices as easily as possible into your life. We will support you with advice and education on using oxygen for exercise, airway clearance techniques and sleep. If you already have oxygen prescribed and have a query about your prescription or device, please call Andrew (oxygen technician) on 020 7352 8121, extension 4451.
Non-invasive ventilation
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) is a form of breathing support that can be delivered to the lungs by a machine via the nose or mouth to ease breathlessness and improve airway clearance and sleep quality. Your CF team will advise you if they think that NIV will help you.
The physiotherapists will show you the machines and masks for delivering the breathing support and support you to get comfortable when trying it for the first time.
If you already have a ventilator machine and need new equipment or parts please contact the respiratory support department on 02073528121 extension 4704.
If you wish to discuss your settings or using your machine for airway clearance, please bleep a physiotherapist on 7302 or 7310 via hospital switchboard.
Read more about physiotherapy at Royal Brompton Hospital