Pulmonary Rehabilitation Aftercare Instructions
A day-by-day recovery guide for pulmonary rehabilitation: what to expect, how to care for yourself, and when to call. Free to read and print.
What to expect
Incentive Spirometer
- •Use every 1-2 hours while awake
- •Take a slow, deep breath; hold for 3-5 seconds
- •This is the single most important thing to prevent complications
No Smoking
- •Smoking dramatically slows lung healing
- •This is the best time to quit if you haven't already
- •Ask your care team about cessation resources
Pulmonary Rehabilitation recovery, day by day
Breathing & Monitoring
- Your breathing will be closely monitored
- Deep breathing exercises are critical to prevent pneumonia
- Use the incentive spirometer every 1-2 hours while awake (10 breaths each time)
- Cough and deep breathe regularly; splint your chest with a pillow if it hurts
Activity
- Short walks in the hallway as soon as cleared
- Avoid smoking; this is the most important thing for lung healing
- Keep head elevated to ease breathing
Lung Recovery
- Continue incentive spirometer faithfully (prevents pneumonia and collapse)
- Gradually increase walking distance each day
- Report any increasing shortness of breath
- Cough up mucus; do not suppress productive coughs
Continued Recovery
- Gradually resume normal activities
- Continue deep breathing exercises daily for 4-6 weeks
- Attend all follow-up appointments and imaging
- Report any persistent cough, fever, or breathing difficulty
When to call your provider or 911
- •Sudden severe shortness of breath
- •Coughing up blood (more than a teaspoon)
- •Chest pain that worsens with breathing
- •Fever above 101.5°F
- •Bluish color to lips or fingernails (cyanosis)
When in doubt, call your clinic. For a medical emergency, call 911.
Recovery milestones
- Day 5
Chest tube removal / Initial healing
Initial surgical healing progressing
- Day 14
Breathing improves
Lung function gradually improving with exercises
- Day 21
Expected recovery
Complete healing and return to normal activities
For clinics
Stop photocopying aftercare sheets.
QR Rx sends this exact pulmonary rehabilitation recovery plan to every patient, branded to your practice, opened by a QR code. It checks in automatically, answers post-op questions, asks for a review at the right moment, and brings patients back for their next visit. The aftercare you already owe every patient, doing the work of keeping them.
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