Asthma: A mini dose of exercise brings a second breath
Jens Richter is editor-in-chief at Since July 2020, the doctor and journalist has also been responsible as COO for business operations and the strategic development of
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Coughing fits, shortness of breath and disturbed sleep at night - these are the greatest handicaps for most asthmatics. But even a small daily dose of exercise can significantly improve symptoms.
It has long been known that physical activity is not the best answer to asthma. Sport trains the respiratory muscles of the diaphragm and chest and improves gas exchange in the lungs. But how much sport should it be - and in what intensity? "Even a little daily walking, cycling or yoga can significantly improve the symptoms," a Canadian research group led by sports scientist Simon Bacon from Concordia University in Montreal has now found out.
30 minutes a day
Exactly which physical activity it is is not decisive, says Bacon. And it doesn't have to be particularly strenuous: “We're not talking about a marathon here. Even a little sport is better than none at all. ”His evidence: the study published together with researchers from the Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur with 643 asthma patients.
The research team asked them about their daily exercise routine and, among other things, had them fill out a standardized questionnaire on their asthma symptoms (Asthma Control Questionnaire, ACQ). This records the five most important everyday restrictions for asthma patients: nocturnal sleep disorders due to the symptoms of the disease, coughing or shortness of breath in the morning when you wake up, restrictions in daily activities, shortness of breath and wheezing - the wheezing sound typical of asthma.
It turned out that even 30 minutes of training per day reduced these handicaps enormously. The likelihood of getting the symptoms under control increased by 250 percent compared to physically inactive asthmatics.
"No reason not to exercise"
However, only just under a sixth of the study participants came to this workload, 40 percent even stated that they completely avoided physical activity. Understandable, says Bacon, because "the problem of bronchial spasms caused by exercise really does exist." But when the patients use their fast-acting inhalers to dilate the bronchi before training and end the training with a cool-down (slow reduction in stress), it works it mostly good. "Even for asthmatics there is no longer any reason not to exercise," says Bacon.
Especially at the beginning of the cold season, the training expert wants to encourage those affected to exercise despite the weather-related hurdles. The cool air - especially in connection with physical exertion - triggers bronchial spasms in many asthmatics. It is worthwhile for them to find an indoor alternative in winter. "Whether in the gym, shopping center or stairwell - our study shows: Those who exercise regularly throughout the year benefit the most."
One of the most common chronic diseases
Experts estimate the number of asthmatics worldwide at around 300 million. This makes asthma one of the most common chronic diseases. In Germany, around every twentieth person is affected by the respiratory disease, writes the lung information service. Asthma is characterized by chronic inflammation and overexcitability of the bronchi, which is accompanied by spasms and a lot of mucus. According to current knowledge, not only genetic factors are responsible for the development, but also environmental influences, infections and an early childhood imprint of the immune system.
In order to prevent a steady worsening of the disease and life-threatening long-term effects, the early and consistent treatment of asthma with medication is important. These are primarily aimed at interrupting the inflammatory processes and spasms in the bronchi.
Source: S. Bacon et al .: Association between patterns of leisure time physical activity and asthma control in adult patients. BMJ Open Respiratory Research 2015, DOI: 10.1136 / bmjresp-2015-000083
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