ASTHMA and Physical Activities

You might remember a time when kids who had asthma were discouraged from playing sports and told to sit under the tree and take it easy, while others were having fun running and chasing around on the fields.

That's no longer the case. Being active, working out, and playing sports actually does more than help a child with asthma to stay fit, maintain a healthy weight, and have fun - it can actually strengthen a child's breathing muscles and help the lungs work better.

For these reasons, doctors may recommend exercise as part of the asthma treatment plan. If you have doubts about whether sports and asthma can mix, consider all the professional and Olympic athletes who have asthma. Do you know that in 1996, nearly 17% of U.S. Olympic athletes had asthma ? and 30% of them won medals !! On a personal note, I think asthmatics are natural born fighters ...

There are two important points to know about sports participation if you are an asthmatic :
First, your asthma must be under control in order for you to perform or play sports properly. When your asthma is well controlled, then you can and should be active and play sports just like anyone else.

Of course, some sports are less likely to pose problems than others for people with asthma. Swimming, leisurely biking, and walking are less likely to trigger asthma, as compared to sports that require short bursts of activity like baseball, football, basketball, gymnastics, and shorter track and field events.

Endurance sports like long-distance running and cycling, mountain trekking and climbing which require extended energy output, may be more challenging. This is especially true for cold-weather sports like cross-country skiing or ice hockey. But that doesn't mean one cannot participate in these sports if one truly enjoys them.

In fact, many athletes with asthma have found that, with proper training and medication, they can participate in any sports they choose. To keep asthma under control, it's important that you take your medicine as prescribed. Skipping controller medication can make symptoms worse, and forgetting to take a prescribed medication before exercise can lead to severe flare-ups and even emergency department visits. Asthmatics should carry “rescue medication” (left pic) at all times, even during workouts, in case of a flare-up.

Secondly, it's also a good idea to keep triggers in mind. Please check out my other blog postings on types of TRIGGERS. Depending on your triggers, you may want to:

• Skip outdoor workouts when pollen or mold counts are high.
• Wear a scarf or ski mask when training outside during the winter or cold weather.
• Make sure you always have time for a careful warm up before and cool down after each heavy physical activity.

THE BOTTOMLINE IS : IF YOU HAVE ASTHMA, THEN FACE IT. LEARN TO CONTROL YOUR ASTHMA AND NOT LET ASTHMA CONTROLS YOU. KNOW THE TRIGGERS AND TAKE THE NECCESSARY PRECAUTIONS ! ... and don't whine, I hate whiners !