Don’t Be Sidelined by Exercise-Induced Asthma

David Beckham is one of the best-known soccer players of all time. 

Roy Hibbert is a two-time NBA All-Star.

Swimmer Amy Van Dyken won six gold medals in two Olympics.

What do these athletes all have in common? They all are living with asthma.

Beckham has been managing his asthma since he was a young boy, while Hibbert wasn’t diagnosed until well into his NBA career. For Van Dyken joining a swim team helped her live a more active life with asthma. As she told Consumer Health Day , “I started swimming when I was 6 and did it on a doctor’s recommendation, I wanted to be normal and walk up and down the stairs by myself…when I first started swimming I was terrible, but I was with my friends. It was a great thing for me to get into.”

With the help of your doctor, you can be active even though you have been diagnosed with asthma. What’s more, exercise can help you stay healthy and control your symptoms.

What’s the link between asthma and exercise?

Physical activity can bring on an asthma attack called exercise-induced asthma (EIA).

Experts say 90 percent of people dealing with chronic asthma also experience EIA. Symptoms of EIA are chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing. These symptoms may occur within the first few minutes of exercise or right after stopping a workout. They can last for an hour or longer and may lead to an asthma attack.

Are some exercises more likely to cause an attack?

Some high-intensity, ongoing activities are more likely to trigger EIA. These include basketball, soccer, running, and cycling. Activity in cold, dry air, such as cross-country skiing and ice-skating, also can cause this condition.

How should an athlete manage asthma?

A recent study from the University of Alberta and Centre for Lung Health  offers a guide for asthmatic athletes: a proper warm-up can make a big difference in whether you run into breathing trouble during exercise.

According to the research ,  a warm-up that is long and intense may allow athletes to get through their competition or time trial without suffering an attack.” 

How Can You Reduce Your Risk?

EIA is a chronic health problem that you can manage. Your doctor may give you pre-exercise medication to prevent symptoms. It’s also important to follow these tips:

• Warm up for several minutes by stretching and running in place.
• Check your asthma with your peak-flow meter before you exercise.
• It’s best to exercise indoors in cold weather. But if you do exercise outdoors, breathe through your nose and cover your face with a mask.
• Use quick-acting medicine from your doctor if your asthma worsens. Your doctor may additionally recommend you use your quick-acting medication prior to planned exercise as part or your Asthma Action Plan
• Avoid working out when your symptoms are not under control or when you have a cold or other infection.
• Exercise indoors when air pollution or airborne allergens such as pollen are at high levels.
• After your workout, don’t stop suddenly. Instead, cool down slowly for several minutes by stretching and jogging.

Having asthma doesn’t mean missing out on the health benefits of an active lifestyle. Be sure to talk to your doctor about activities that are best for you and your asthma management.

Don’t be sidelined by asthma. Learn more about managing asthma on the Taking on Asthma  website.

Sources: Runner's World; Consumer Health Day; National Library of Medicine 

Originally published on September 27, 2016