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Breathing exercises before chest and abdominal surgery | CION Cancer Clinics
Breathing exercises before surgery help keep your lungs fully open after an operation on the chest or tummy, when pain makes deep breaths and coughing hard. Practising deep breathing, huffing and supported coughing beforehand means your body already knows the routine when you wake up sore. This page shows you how to do them, what the physiotherapist may teach, and when to be careful. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
MI
Medically reviewed by Dr. Mohammed ImaduddinConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS, MS (General Surgery), MCh (Surgical Oncology) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Why are breathing exercises taught before chest or tummy surgery?
- How do you do a deep breathing exercise?
- Which exercises will the physiotherapist show you?
- What do the words on the ward mean?
- What do people get wrong about breathing after surgery?
- Who should be careful, and what can this page not tell you?
- Common questions about breathing exercises
The short answer
Why are breathing exercises taught before chest or tummy surgery?
Breathing exercises help keep your lungs fully open after an operation on the chest or abdomen. After this kind of surgery it hurts to breathe deeply or cough, so the lungs can partly close down and trap phlegm, which raises the chance of a chest infection.
Why learn them before the operation
On the first day after surgery you will be sore, sleepy and attached to tubes. That is a hard time to learn anything new. If you have practised deep breathing and supported coughing for a few weeks beforehand, your body already knows what to do, and the physiotherapist only needs to remind you.
Which operations this matters most for
It matters most when the cut is on the chest or upper tummy. That includes operations on the lung, food pipe, stomach, liver, pancreas and bowel. It also matters more if you smoke, have asthma or long-term lung disease, are overweight or are older. People having smaller operations elsewhere on the body still benefit, but the effect is smaller.
Exercises are one part of protecting the lungs. Stopping smoking and getting up to walk soon after surgery matter just as much.Try it now
How do you do a deep breathing exercise?
Sit up well
Sit upright in a chair or on the edge of the bed, with your shoulders relaxed. Slumping squashes the lower parts of the lungs, which are the parts that most need opening.
Breathe in slowly and deeply
Put a hand on your upper tummy. Breathe in through your nose, slowly, and feel the tummy and lower ribs rise under your hand. Try not to lift your shoulders.
Hold, then let go
Hold the breath for a short count if you can, then breathe out gently through your mouth. Repeat a few times, then rest and breathe normally so you do not feel dizzy.
Finish with a huff
Take a medium breath and push it out quickly with your mouth open, as if steaming up a mirror. This moves phlegm up without a painful full cough.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhat you may be taught
Which exercises will the physiotherapist show you?
Your own team decides which of these suit you. Ask them to watch you do each one once, so you know you are doing it right.
Supported cough
You hold a folded towel or pillow firmly over the wound and then cough. The pressure supports the cut and makes coughing less painful. It does not harm the stitches.
Incentive spirometer
A small plastic device with a ball or piston that rises as you breathe in slowly. It shows you how deep each breath is, so you can see yourself improving day by day.
Not every centre uses one. Deep breathing without it also works.Shoulder and chest stretches
Gentle arm raises and shoulder circles stop the chest and shoulder from stiffening, especially after an operation on the lung or food pipe.
Walking
Walking is a breathing exercise too. Moving makes you breathe more deeply without thinking about it. Building a daily walk before surgery makes getting up afterwards easier.
Words you may hear
What do the words on the ward mean?
- Atelectasis
- Part of the lung that has closed down and is not filling with air. Deep breathing and moving help reopen it.
- Chest physiotherapy
- Breathing, coughing and movement exercises guided by a physiotherapist, before and after surgery.
- Oxygen saturation
- The number on the finger clip. It shows how much oxygen your blood is carrying.
- Chest infection
- An infection in the lungs after surgery, sometimes written as pneumonia. It is one of the problems these exercises aim to prevent.
- Sputum
- The phlegm you cough up. Tell the nurse if it changes colour or has blood in it.
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Commonly believed
What do people get wrong about breathing after surgery?
"Coughing will burst the stitches."
A supported cough, with a pillow pressed over the wound, does not open a properly closed wound. Holding back coughs lets phlegm collect in the lungs, which is the bigger worry.
"Pranayama is the same thing, so I do not need to learn anything else."
If you already practise yoga breathing, that is a good start. After surgery, though, some held breaths and forceful techniques may not suit a fresh wound. Ask the physiotherapist which parts to keep.
"Taking less pain relief will help me breathe better."
It usually works the other way. When pain is controlled, you can breathe deeply and cough. Tell the nurses if pain is stopping you doing the exercises.
"My lungs are fine, so this is not for me."
Healthy lungs can still partly close down after a big operation, because pain and lying in bed change how everyone breathes.
!
After surgery, one thing that cannot wait
If, once you are home, breathing becomes suddenly harder, you have new chest pain, you cough up blood, or you have a fever with shivering, call your surgical team or go to the nearest emergency department the same day. Say what operation you had and when. Do not wait to see if it settles overnight.
Being straight with you
Who should be careful, and what can this page not tell you?
Breathing exercises are safe for most people, but a few need to take care. If deep breaths make you dizzy or faint, stop and breathe normally. If you have had a collapsed lung before, recent eye surgery, a hernia or very high blood pressure, ask before doing forceful huffs or coughs.
If you already have lung disease
People with asthma or long-term lung disease often have their own inhalers and routines. Keep using your inhalers as prescribed and ask the team whether any change is needed before surgery. Do not stop them on your own.
If you cannot manage the exercises
Some people are too weak, too breathless or too confused to follow a routine. That is not a reason to give up on lung care. Sitting up in a chair, changing position in bed and being helped to walk short distances all open the lungs too. Tell the team, and ask the physiotherapist to adapt the plan.
What this page cannot tell you
This page cannot tell you how your lungs will cope with your own operation, or whether you are fit for it. That depends on your lung tests, your heart and the surgery planned, and your team weighs those together. Ask them: do I need a lung function test, will a physiotherapist see me before surgery, and which exercises should I practise at home?
Questions we are asked
Common questions about breathing exercises
How often should I do breathing exercises before surgery?
Little and often is the usual advice. A few deep breaths and a huff several times through the day, every day, works better than one long session. Your physiotherapist may give you a set routine. If not, fitting a short round in after each meal is an easy habit to remember.
When should I start practising?
As soon as you know an operation is planned. There is no need to wait for a physiotherapy appointment to begin gentle deep breathing and walking. If a physiotherapist sees you later, they can check your technique and add anything specific to your operation.
Do I need to buy an incentive spirometer?
Not unless your team asks you to. Many hospitals provide one on the ward if they use them. Slow deep breathing without the device does a similar job. If you buy one, bring it to hospital and ask a nurse or physiotherapist to show you how to use it properly.
Does it help if I am having surgery on my neck or breast?
It helps less than for chest or upper tummy operations, but it is still a sensible habit. Any general anaesthetic and time in bed can reduce how deeply you breathe. Ask your team whether your operation needs a specific routine.
What if coughing after surgery is too painful?
Press a folded towel or pillow firmly over the wound, then cough or huff. Tell the nurse if pain still stops you, because your pain relief may need adjusting. Controlling pain well is part of protecting your lungs, and asking for it is not a sign of weakness.
I smoke. Will breathing exercises make up for it?
No. Smoking makes the lungs produce more phlegm and clear it less well, and exercises cannot undo that. Stopping smoking, even close to the operation, helps your lungs and your wound. Doing both together gives your lungs the better start.
Can a family member help me with the exercises?
Yes. They can remind you through the day, help you sit up straight, hold the pillow over the wound and walk with you on the ward. Bring them to the physiotherapy session so they learn the same routine and can spot if you are skipping it.
How long do I keep doing them after the operation?
Usually until you are up and walking normally and your cough is clear, but your team will tell you. Some people, such as those who had lung surgery, are asked to continue for longer at home. Follow the plan written in your discharge papers.
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Sources
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Surgery for cancer
- NICE — Perioperative care in adults (NG180)
- American Cancer Society — Cancer surgery
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Lung function tests before surgeryThe test that measures how your lungs are workingSurgery with COPD or asthmaIf you already have a lung conditionPrehabilitation before an operationThe rest of getting stronger before surgeryICU and the first days after surgeryWhat the first days on the ward look like
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