Asthma And Exercise

Exercise greatly improves asthma over a period of time. Obviously we aren’t talking running a marathon here – not to start with, anyway – but if your asthma is properly managed then you should be able to participate in moderate exercise without any problems.

The ideal exercise for an asthma sufferer is 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week. Moderate exercise should increase your heart rate and make you slightly breathless, but not wheezy. Some people find that exercise brings on an asthma attack and you can use your reliever inhaler before you start exercising which may help. If the problem gets worse, make an appointment to see your doctor or healthcare team for a review of your treatment.

If you aren’t used to exercise you will need to start gradually – don’t try and do too much too soon. ALWAYS make sure you have your reliever inhaler with you, just in case, and it is also a good idea not to exercise alone and to make sure anyone with you knows you have asthma.

So which are the best kinds of exercise if you have asthma? Well the first one is swimming. This is great as you can go at your own pace and do as little or as much as you feel comfortable with. You can set your own targets easily and measure your progress. Also, the air in a swimming pool is humid so may be less likely to set off an asthma attack. Some people are sensitive to the chemicals in the pool though, so be aware of that and if the chemicals trigger your asthma make sure you use your inhaler before you start.

A second recommended form of exercise if you have asthma is yoga. This is not an aerobic exercise but it is still possible to work up quite a sweat and increase your heart rate. Classes are available in most areas for all levels. A major advantage of yoga is that it often focuses on the breathing, and breathing exercises are great for asthma sufferers.

Walking is another wonderful form of exercise and again, you can take it at your own pace and build up your fitness gradually. Team sports can also be good for asthma sufferers as the activity is in short spurts with rests in between. It is difficult to build up to participating in a team game though so it might be better to build up your fitness another way first.

Any form of exercise will benefit an asthma sufferer; just remember not to push yourself too hard and to take sensible precautions when exercising.

Copyright 2009