Safe Tips Before Doing Sports for Asthma Sufferers
Many asthma patients avoid running sports. Running is actually good for your body if your asthma is in good control. However, running can also trigger asthma symptoms if your asthma is not well controlled.
Benefits of running for people with asthma
Running with asthma has several advantages:
- strengthen the respiratory muscles
- maintain weight
- provide psychological benefits
- reduce the risk of heart disease
How to run can trigger asthma attacks
In general, the nose protects the lungs by warming the air and acting as a filter. When running, your body needs more air and you start breathing through the mouth. Your nose does not heat, moisten, or filter air. As a result, running can increase the risk of exposure to asthma triggers.
Safe running tips
Do you have asthma and are afraid to run? The following tips can help you:
- Visit a doctor first. As with other chronic diseases, make sure you discuss with your doctor before you embark on a significant exercise routine. Before you start, your doctor will try to control your asthma. You need to have an action plan on what to do if your asthma recurs during a run.
- Know your limits. Running is a severe activity and can trigger asthma compared to other activities.
- Quit smoking. Almost 25% of adults who have asthma usually smoke and start smoking since young. Tobacco smoke irritates the lungs and worsens asthma. Smoking during pregnancy may also increase the risk of asthma in children. Quitting smoking can also help you breathe and run better.
- Watch the weather. If the cold weather makes your asthma relapse, consider running in the room using a treadmill. If you need to get out of the house, make sure you use a mask or scarf that reduces the cold air getting into your lungs. Run outdoors in warm and humid weather.
- Always bring inhalers. It is important to carry an inhaler while running. Inhalers can deal with sudden asthma symptoms.
- Keep an eye on your asthma condition. If asthma is not well controlled, you need to handle it before running.
- Follow an action plan to exercise safely. Talk to your doctor about your asthma action plan and how it can support the sport with asthma. If you are not in a safe condition, you are prohibited from exercising, as it may aggravate the condition.
If you experience symptoms while exercising with asthma, you can use an inhaler to treat symptoms. The doctor may ask you to use an inhaler before doing exercise in order to prevent symptoms.
- Warm up and cool down. Avoid sudden changes in activities that can trigger asthma symptoms. Start slowly, do not go straight out and exercise with weight. Likewise, do not suddenly stop exercising. However, slowly reduce your energy before stopping.
- Avoid running when the wind is fast. The more wind, the more likely the asthma triggers are flying.
- Take care after running. This can reduce seasonal allergens in your home. In addition, you can also reduce allergens by directly brushing your shoes and enter dirty running clothes into a laundry basket that is not located in the room. Warm bath water can provide moisture in good air after running with asthma.
- Running after rain. The rain clears the air of many triggers such as pollen and dust.
- Consider a protective mask. Using an allergen-protective mask while running can reduce exposure to asthma triggers.
