When my physician advised me to join the rehab sessions by
Cipla, led by Dr. Nandini, I was both hopeful and hesitant. Would this really
work? Would my lungs finally listen to me?
As I walked into the group sessions for the first time, I
found myself surrounded by fellow warriors (I don’t want to be called as patient
though the Doctors/ trainers frequently use the word patients for us)—each
carrying their own battles but sharing a collective goal: to reclaim the
freedom of movement and breath. Dr. Nandini greeted each of us with a warmth
that felt like a gentle breeze after a suffocating tiresome afternoon. She
didn’t just teach; she made us understand our bodies like old friends we had
neglected to truly know.
One day, during an interactive session, Dr. Nandini
introduced a metaphor that instantly struck a chord with in me. Economics??? Theory
of demand and supply. I tried to interpret of the symphony provided by her and
making it’s a song.
"Think of your muscles as a bustling market," she
said, her voice carrying a mix of empathy and scientific precision. "When
you run, your muscles demand a large supply of oxygen. It’s like a festival
season rush in a marketplace—everyone needs more goods at once. Your lungs, in
this case, act as the suppliers trying to meet that demand."
She illustrated it further with examples.
The Runner's Tale
Imagine a long-distance runner gracefully gliding through a marathon. His leg
muscles are working continuously at a moderate intensity over a long
period—this is what we call endurance-level one. Here, the primary
demand is a steady, high volume of oxygen to keep the muscles working without
fatigue. The lungs respond by increasing their ventilation rate, but the key is
efficiency: deeper, rhythmic breathing rather than shallow, rapid breaths. The
heart works closely with the lungs, ensuring that this increased oxygen is
delivered continuously to the working muscles.
The Weightlifter’s Story
Now imagine a weightlifter, standing poised before a heavy barbell. He isn't
relying on long, continuous muscle engagement but rather on explosive, short
bursts of power—this is endurance-level two, or anaerobic strength. The
oxygen demand here is immediate and intense but short-lived. In these brief
seconds, muscles use stored energy (ATP and glycogen) rapidly, and the lungs'
role shifts to rapidly refilling oxygen reserves afterward rather than during
the actual lift. This is why you see lifters taking deep preparatory breaths
before a lift and then exhaling forcefully at peak exertion.
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In both cases, the lungs negotiate a delicate balance. They
act like a central bank adjusting the supply to meet varying economic demands.
When supply (oxygen) can’t meet demand, the body accumulates "debt"
in the form of lactic acid and fatigue—just like a market crash when supply
fails to match demand.
Dr. Nandini explained this so vividly that it felt like
watching an economic documentary rather than a rehab session. I started feeling
when the session will be over and will able to compose something for my blog. I
began to see my own breathing struggles not just as isolated problems but as
imbalances in this beautiful market system within me.
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High Supply & Steady Demand (Runner)
This is the realm of aerobic endurance. A runner
needs continuous oxygen over long periods, and their lungs and cardiovascular
system are well-trained to supply it steadily. The body adapts by increasing
capillary density, improving mitochondrial efficiency, and optimizing
heart-lung coordination.
High Supply & Burst Demand (Weightlifter)
Here, we enter the anaerobic power zone. A
weightlifter’s muscles demand explosive, intense power for a short duration.
The lungs prepare the oxygen supply, but during the actual lift, energy is
mostly drawn from stored sources (ATP and creatine phosphate). Afterward, the
lungs rush to replenish and clear out byproducts like lactic acid.
Low Supply & Steady Demand (Beginner endurance)
In early endurance training or in deconditioned individuals,
lung capacity is not yet optimized, so even steady demand can feel exhausting.
Training here focuses on gradually enhancing lung and heart capacity.
Low Supply & Burst Demand (Untrained power activity)
In those who attempt high-intensity bursts without training,
the supply is low and demand is explosive. This often results in rapid fatigue,
high lactic acid build-up, and potential injury — the body cannot cope with
sudden demands it isn’t prepared for.
Group Learning: More than Just Science
Beyond the science, these sessions became a cross-stitch of
shared stories. We laughed, we struggled, and we celebrated small
milestones—like someone being able to walk five extra minutes without gasping,
or another finally mastering a full round of breathing exercises.
The beauty of these exercises lay not just in the instructor’s
depth of knowledge, but in her ability to make it relatable and almost poetic.
By weaving metaphors like demand and supply economics into muscle and lung
function, she turned a potentially dry subject into an engaging narrative that
we could all see ourselves in.
Concluding Thoughts: Learning as a Shared Breath
As I continue my rehab journey, I've realized that learning
about the body isn’t just a personal process—it’s a shared breath among curious
minds. When educators like Dr. Nandini use metaphors and storytelling, they
don’t just impart knowledge; they plant seeds of curiosity that continue to
grow beyond the classroom or clinic.
Education, especially in health and rehabilitation, is most
impactful when it’s felt, not just understood. When it’s woven into stories,
when it uses familiar metaphors, and when it invites learners to see themselves
in the lesson—only then does it truly stick.
So, as I take each rehabilitative breath, I remember I am
not just inhaling air; I am taking in hope, science, and stories—one breath,
one lesson at a time.
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