Pilot study in Heringsdorf curative and healing forest

The particular suitability of the Heringsdorf curative and healing forest has now been demonstrated in a controlled open pilot study with patients aged 40 to 80 years with COPD grades A to D (COPD is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The disease is characterised by an increasing disturbance of the airflow in the lungs (obstruction).

22 patients were treated with standard rehabilitation with COPD for 21 days + 5 days therapy in the healing forest (as an add-on),
32 patients with standard rehabilitation for COPD for 21 days + 5x indoor activity.

Objective of treatment:
Deceleration of the progression of this chronic disease and improvement of the quality of life (healing is not possible).

Nature of treatment:
The therapy consisted of slow forest walk to an objective with pursed lipped breathing, as well as specific breathing-gymnastic exercises at the tree and on and at the benches. The patients were comparable in terms of their vital and functional parameters.

Results:
At the end of the rehabilitation period, some variables of the pulmonary function test in the healing forest group had improved significantly compared to the indoor group.
In summary, there was evidence for a superior effect of the healing forest mode compared to the control therapy. The acceptance of the healing wood treatment by patients is very high.