Sports for Asthmatics

People with asthma are more likely to suffer from increased sensitivity of the respiratory system.

Intense exercise can cause dyspnea and coughing with sputum discharge, so asthmatics can do in for not all kinds of sports. However, asthma is not an obstacle for active lifestyle – just follow some rules.

Choose Swimming

According to results of my canadian pharmacy online studies, one of the safest sports for asthmatics is swimming. There are several reasons.

First, loads during swimming are not as heavy as, for example, during running, athletic or team sports, so muscle tissues do not require constant oxygen supply in large quantities, and breathing remains even.

Second, exercises are carried out in warm and humid environment, therefore, inhaled air is already sufficiently heated and humidified and doesn’t cause airway mucosa irritation.

Be sure to take care of the quality of the water. In many pools to disinfect water chlorination technology is used. Chlorine is a strong irritant for many people, including asthma patients. It is better to protect yourself in advance, spending time searching for a suitable pool (purification by means of ozonation, ultraviolet light, electrolysis), than to face asthma attack at the most unexpected moment.

“Soft” Sports

In fact, any kind of activities, in which short and moderately intense loads alternate with longer rest periods, is not dangerous for people with asthma. After all, reason for asthma attack is often becomes rapid and prolonged heavy breathing.

It is worth paying attention to “soft” and slow kinds of sports – volley-ball, walking, rowing and canoeing. Yoga or Pilates will never go amiss.

Under Doctor’s Supervision

Prerequisite for asthmatic-athletes is in constant visits to doctor. Thanks to advances in science and pharmacists experience there are many products on the market that will help to cope with severe asthma attacks, even during exercises.

But in everything you need to know when to stop, because even best medicine, when used incorrectly, becomes a poison. Refusing from medicaments in favour of sports or from loads during training in favour of medicines, will not result in anything good.

Avoid Winter Sports

The most dangerous from the point of view of risk of asthma attack are winter sports.

Due to the fact that under loads human body is heated and outside temperature is very low, inhaled air condenses on respiratory system walls. This process irritates bronchial receptors, it causes sharp narrowing of the airways and provokes coughing, in the worst case it can lead to severe and prolonged asthma attack.

Preparation

• An important stage in any sports activities for asthmatics is to prepare and warm up.
• Be sure to choose proper sports suit in which exercises will be performed comfortably, without overheating or overcooling.
• If training takes place outside, you should make sure that there are no plants, you are allergic to, because reaction to them may lead to asthma attack.
• You should visit swimming pool only if water there is cleaned by ionizing, not by chlorinating method.
• During exercises in cold air cover nose and mouth with scarf or hands.
• And finally, best asthma attacks prevention is to keep body in good physical shape, for this just a few minutes a day are enough.