What is the best way to exercise with asthma?

Asthma can make your airways inflamed and swollen, causing you to cough, wheeze and generally make it difficult to breathe. This means it can be hard to exercise with asthma.

While exercise can sometimes trigger or make those symptoms worse, that doesn’t mean you should stop altogether.

In fact, if you exercise on a regular basis, your lung health will improve which can actually decrease asthma symptoms. But you need to make sure you consult your doctor to work out the right kind of exercise for you, and the right amount.

Dr Andrew Thompson reiterates that unless severe, asthma should not limit how a person exercises. 

“If a person finds their exercise is severely limited by their asthma then it indicates that their asthma is poorly controlled and they need to speak to their doctor.”

What is asthma?

Asthma is a condition that inflames and narrows the airwaves, making it difficult to breathe. It’s estimated approximately 300 million people worldwide currently suffer from asthma. 

Asthma varies in severity, it can be minor and seasonal, or it can impact your daily life with some attacks so intense the sufferer needs to be hospitalised.

Most people who have asthma will have a management plan given to them by their doctor or asthma specialist. Having a strategy in place will help better control asthma, reduce or prevent flare-ups and emergency department visits.

Benefits of exercising with asthma

Even if you’re not asthmatic,  regular exercise has a huge positive impact on both your physical and mental health. Incorporating the correct exercise for an asthmatic can also see specific health benefits which can lessen the attacks including:

• improved lung function and capacity– the more regular the exercise the more the lungs get used to consuming oxygen
• improved immune system function / decrease inflammation
• Improved mood / general mental health and lower stress levels
• weight loss
• increased endurance and stamina
• Strengthened muscles
• Increase cardiovascular fitness

What is the best way to exercise with asthma?

Having asthma doesn’t mean avoiding exercise, it just means picking the correct type of exercise and knowing your boundaries depending on the severity of your condition. 

Activities that involve brief bursts of exertion are great for those with asthma. Volleyball, golf, hiking, light jogging, dance classes and recreational biking, all get the heart rate up but not for an extended period of time. 

Low-intensity activities and exercises that focus on the breath are also particularly good for asthma sufferers, such as walking, swimming, pilates and yoga. 

Tips for how to exercise with asthma

If you are trying something new at the gym in a group class or as a one-on-one, make sure you tell the trainer that it is your first time and that you might need to go at your own pace.

Asthmatics who are new to exercising should take things slow, especially if they’re trying anything high-intensity. A spin cycle class, running or joining, joining a soccer or netball team, could all be a bit too much to start. You will need to build up your endurance.

Weather can impact asthma sufferers as cold air can increase the chance of a flare up. So it can be a good idea to avoid training in the cold winter air. 

Allergies and a high level of pollen in the air can also have a negative effect on an asthma sufferer, so exercising inside might be a better option.

Setting aside time to incorporate a warmup and a warm down is also encouraged.

When to see a doctor

Before embarking on a new fitness regime, always check in with your health practitioner.  

If you have a flare-up, and the tightness of breath and wheezing increases, medical attention should be sought.

Cathrine Mahoney is a Sydney-based writer with a particular interest in women’s health, mental health and living well. Cathrine holds a Bachelor of Media Studies and is a columnist with Body+Soul.

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/get-serious-about-severe-asthma/breathing-exercises-severe-asthma

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16840363/

https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/living-with-asthma/asthma-action-plans