Exercise and staying active are very important for people with CF. It helps improve lung function and works like a natural form of chest physiotherapy by helping to clear the airways. Exercise also supports mental wellbeing and improves overall quality of life.
The good news is that many types of exercise are free and easy to access. Even small changes to your daily routine can help improve your fitness.
We understand that living with CF can bring financial challenges. To help with this, we offer a range of financial supports for our members to help with the cost of exercise.
If you would like more information on our exercise grant, please visit our policy and guidelines page.
This year has seen changes to the exercise grant application. Find out more about these changes here Q&A document.
Please reach out to a member of the team for an application form and assistance in making an application.
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Exercise Opportunities
Exercise Education
Exercise Opportunities
The best way to stay active is to choose activities that suit you. Pick something you enjoy, in a place where you feel comfortable, and at a time that works for your schedule.
Exercise doesn’t have to feel like a chore — it can be fun too. There are also many free resources available that you can easily add to your weekly routine.
One of the great things about exercise is that many activities are free and open to everyone.
For example, parkrun is a free weekly 2K and 5K community event held in open spaces around the world. It started over 20 years ago and gives people a chance to stay active and meet others. You can also get involved by volunteering at events.
We’re happy to recommend this to our members. To learn more, find your nearest event, or get involved, visit www.parkrun.com and join a global community focused on staying active and feeling good.
People who are physically active tend to be healthier and happier. This is true for people of all ages and health conditions.
When you are living with pain or a long-term (chronic) condition, it can be harder to stay active. It’s easy to slow down or stop exercising altogether. Even if you know exercise is important, it can feel challenging to keep going.
Trying new activities or making small changes to your exercise routine can help. Finding what works for you is important.
The videos below have been put together by the HSE and are part of their Living Well programme. They can help guide you in staying active.
Before starting any new exercise programme, it’s important to check with your physiotherapist.
3. Helpful Exercise Resources - click to view these helpful exercise videos
- Aerobic exercise – 45 minutes for adults living with chronic conditions -
- Resistance exercise – 45 minutes for adults living with chronic conditions
- Chair exercises – 10 minutes for adults living with chronic disease
- Gentle exercise – 10 minutes for adults living with chronic disease
- Lower body resistance Part 1 – 10 minutes for adults living with chronic disease
- Lower body resistance Part 2 - 10 minutes for adults living with chronic disease
Exercise Education
At times, we invite guest speakers to join us online and share their knowledge and experience about exercise.
Listening to others can be very motivating and can help you find new ideas and inspiration to stay active.
CFI Yoga for Children June 2023
CFI Conference 2022 - Day 2 - Caroline Heffernan, PWCF/Endurance Athlete
CFI Conference 2022 day 2 - Exercise Panel Discussion with people with CF
Exercise and Motivation (Louise Collins, Physiotherapist, January 2024 presentation slides download - see below:
For further information about the Exercise Grant Scheme, please contact:
Member Services Team
Telephone: 01 496 2433
Email: memberservices@cfireland.ie
Last Updated: June 2026