Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of Sweden’s most prevalent public health conditions, affecting approximately 500,000 individuals. The disease is chronic and progressive, and comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety are common, contributing to reduced quality of life. An important part of treatment is physiotherapy, where the physiotherapist instructs and supports the patient in the use of breathing strategies to reduce dyspnea and facilitate daily activities. By applying a behavioral medicine perspective, such as the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), the physiotherapist can also promote adherence and long-term behavioral changes.
Aim: The aim of this study was to explore physiotherapists’ experiences of working with breathing exercises for patients with COPD.
Method: A qualitative design with semi-structured interviews was used. Seven physiotherapists from primary care and inpatient care were included in the study. Qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used as the method of analysis.
Results: The results are presented in the categories: application of breathing exercises in clinical practice, factors affecting patients’ motivation and adherence and challenges in using breathing exercises and future development opportunities. Within these categories, the physiotherapists’ experiences are described in six subcategories.
Conclusion: In this study, the results showed that breathing exercises are a key component in the treatment of patients with COPD, providing increased control, reduced dyspnea, and facilitation of daily activities. However, the effectiveness of these strategies depends on the patient’s motivation, correct execution, and continuous follow-up.