Realistically, I'm not going to be running much more this year what with feeling and being under the weather therefore this is as good an opportunity as any to post my blog on Running with Asthma.
This blog aims to provide information to everyone but in particular asthmatics on
the importance of exercise, such as running, to improve fitness and hence ultimately
reduce the symptoms of asthma. Prior to
starting a programme of exercise, it is recommended that those with asthma
first consult their doctor to
determine whether running is an appropriate form of exercise to pursue.
Before examining what benefits exercise
such as running can offer asthmatics, it is important to first understand the
asthma condition which affects 5.4 million people in the UK. When triggered by an irritant, the airway
becomes inflamed and narrows, leading to symptoms
such as a tight chest, coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.
If symptoms intensify and self-administered
medication fails to relieve the symptoms, an asthma attack may occur. In some cases hospital treatment is required to
bring the symptoms back under control. The
severity of asthma varies between sufferers, as does the triggers. For example, infections, cold air, allergies
and exercise are common asthma triggers. Common precautions to take when exercising will be discussed later to help
avoid triggering asthma symptoms. There
is no known cure for asthma therefore, in terms of managing the condition there
are a number of treatments available to help alleviate and prevent symptoms and attacks
from occurring. These include a
combination of medicines such as inhalers to dispense a drug, lifestyle adjustments
which include a healthy diet and exercise and the avoidance of known
triggers. Medicines usually consist of a
reliever to self-administer when symptoms occur, something to take prior to starting
to exercise in order to help relax and widen the airways and a preventer to
reduce future occurrences.
Asthmatics are also taught a number
of breathing techniques to help manage their condition by varying the rate and
depth of breathing. These techniques can
then be used when exercising to help keep breathing under control. If breathing difficulties do arise and start
to trigger asthma symptoms, then it is likely that the sufferer will have to stop
the activity and use a combination of
breathing techniques and a reliever until breathing returns to normal and the symptoms
ease. It is therefore vital for
asthmatics to carry a reliever when exercising in case symptoms occur that
cannot be controlled by breathing techniques alone. Additionally, it is recommended that exposure
to known triggers is limited to prevent onset of symptoms. For example, if cold air is a trigger, then breathing
through the nose or via a scarf warms the air prior to its contact with the
airways and lungs. Similarly, if pollen or smog trigger symptoms, it is wise to
avoid exercising in high pollen areas or high volumes of traffic. Knowing when symptoms
begin to advance is important when exercising as it will allow the sufferer to
know whether the effort level needs to be adjusted, for example to run more
slowly to avoid symptoms developing to the point where intervention from a
reliever over and above the learned breathing techniques is required.
Exercise
is also required in part to control weight as obesity is believed to have an
adverse impact on asthma.
There are other exercise benefits for asthmatics in addition to those
already listed including improving fitness, boosting the immune system to avoid
respiratory infection triggers and the strengthening of breathing muscles. As
well as improving physical health, running can also improve self-belief through
the setting of targets and goals and help to relieve stress.
There are many benefits and reasons as to why asthmatics
should exercise. However, what benefits does running offer over other
activities such as walking, swimming and cycling, etc.? It generally depends on what the objectives of
the exercise are, for example if weight loss is a goal then running is better
for burning calories. There are various tables online which you can search for on Google to compare different exercises. This will help you decide which exercise will help you achieve your goals.
The benefits
of running include accessibility, as almost anyone can start running and from practically
anywhere, minimal cost, as gymnasium membership is not required, and it can
improve sleep, boost wellbeing and provide an opportunity to break away from
the daily routine. It is
recommended that stamina and fitness are developed gradually to allow the body
to steadily adapt to the new exercise regime.
To that end it is suggested that a tried and tested programme such as
the ‘Couch to 5k’ running programme is utilised with the aid of podcasts that provide
instructions and music to help motivation through the programmed runs.
Exercise such as running can therefore
be considered as both a trigger of asthma symptoms and a method by which the
condition can be controlled as part of a healthy lifestyle. Once the sufferer
has learned how to overcome the symptoms of asthma and to manage the condition
correctly when exercising, anything should be achievable as demonstrated by the
athlete and marathon runner Paula Radcliffe who has suffered from asthma all
her life.
Further study on this topic in the
future will examine the downsides to running, further detailed examination of
the benefits associated with running and the advantages of cross training.
I wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Lets see what 2013 will bring. Hopefully some warmer weather and a longer period of injury/illness free time than 2012 so I can actually run.
