If you have PH and are overweight, exercise can help you lose weight which in turn can help your breathlessness.

Carol Keen, clinical specialist physiotherapist at the Sheffield Pulmonary Vascular Disease Unit, explains what activities you can do to help you lose weight with PH.

“Talking about exercise is often associated with weight loss. If you’ve got PH and you are overweight, it’s worth thinking about ways that you can lose some of that weight.

If we gave you two bags of shopping to carry around which weighed around 10kg, you would feel much more tired and breathless. If you’re carrying that around in your own bodyweight, losing some of it might make it easier for you to live with pulmonary hypertension day-to-day.

In terms of the approach to weight loss, taking small, incremental steps is the best way to do it. You  be more able to keep up those steps and it will be more of a lifestyle change, as opposed something which lasts for a few months and then you gain the weight again.

There are lots of resources available to help with weight loss, such as charities and community organisations. It might be worth having a look around at what’s available near you, or speak to your GP. The NHS also has advice online on weight loss.”

To find out more about weight loss, visit NHS UK.