Children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis who completed a home exercise program perceived that it improved their health condition and positively changed their perception of symptoms, potentially allowing greater engagement and adherence to care.
Key Findings
Results
Pediatric cystic fibrosis patients perceived that participation in a home physical exercise program improved their health condition.
38 participants total provided data through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews
Three thematic categories emerged: 1) 'I feel that I am better'; 2) 'I did almost everything (all the exercises of the daily routine)'; 3) 'If I could remove one exercise…' (the expression of preferences)
The first thematic category reflected participants' subjective sense of health improvement attributable to the exercise program
Data were analyzed using thematic analysis technique with a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory methodology
Methods
The majority of participants were pre-school or school-aged children between six and 12 years old, with a median age of ten years.
29 of 38 participants were pre-school/school ages (between six and 12 years old)
9 of 38 participants were adolescents (between 13 and 16 years old)
Median age of participants was ten years (interquartile range 8–10)
All participants were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and were being followed up in a home exercise program
Results
Participants reported high levels of engagement with the home exercise program, completing nearly all prescribed exercises in their daily routine.
The second thematic category was described as 'I did almost everything (all the exercises of the daily routine)'
This category reflected self-reported adherence to the prescribed home exercise routines
The program was integrated into participants' daily routines as a home-based intervention
Results
Children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis expressed preferences and dislikes regarding specific exercises within the home program.
The third thematic category captured 'the expression of preferences,' emerging from statements such as 'If I could remove one exercise…'
This category indicates that participants had differentiated responses to individual exercises rather than uniform acceptance of the full program
Expression of preferences was identified as a distinct qualitative theme separate from perceived health benefit and adherence
Conclusions
The home exercise program positively changed participants' perception of their symptoms and may support greater engagement and adherence to cystic fibrosis care.
Authors concluded the program 'positively changed the participants' perception of their symptoms'
Improved symptom perception was linked to potential for 'greater engagement and adherence to their care'
The study used a qualitative method with semi-structured, face-to-face interviews to capture subjective experiences
This was a qualitative study; no quantitative measures of lung function or exercise capacity were reported in the abstract
What This Means
This research explored how children and teenagers with cystic fibrosis—a serious genetic condition affecting the lungs and digestive system—felt about doing a structured exercise program at home. Researchers interviewed 38 young patients (ages 6–16, median age 10) who were already participating in a home exercise program, asking them open-ended questions about their experiences. By analyzing the interviews, three main themes emerged: patients felt their health had improved, they reported completing most of the exercises they were supposed to do, and they had personal preferences about which exercises they liked or disliked.
The key takeaway was that the children and adolescents themselves believed the home exercise program made them feel better and improved their symptoms. This subjective sense of benefit was consistent across the group, even among younger children. Notably, participants also reported relatively high completion of their prescribed exercises, suggesting the program was feasible in a home setting. The finding that patients expressed specific likes and dislikes about individual exercises points to the importance of considering patient preferences when designing exercise programs.
This research suggests that home-based exercise programs for young people with cystic fibrosis are not only tolerated but are perceived positively by the patients themselves—a factor that could be important for long-term adherence to treatment. Since cystic fibrosis requires lifelong management and physical activity is a recognized part of care, understanding how patients experience these programs may help healthcare providers design interventions that patients are more likely to stick with over time. The study's qualitative design means these findings reflect personal perceptions rather than measured clinical outcomes, but they provide valuable insight into the patient experience.
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Coelho C, Assis M, Aquino E, Oliveira L, Souza P, Oliveira A, et al.. (2026). "I know that exercise is very good for me": perception of pediatric patients with cystic fibrosis about physical exercise program.. Revista paulista de pediatria : orgao oficial da Sociedade de Pediatria de Sao Paulo. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/2026/44/2025358