Aerobic Exercise for Asthma?

If you've never had to work hard for a breath, you don't really
know what it's like to have asthma. For the millions of asthma
sufferers, life can be a daily struggle to function. Although the
benefits of aerobic training are well-established, the potential
impact on asthma patients is controversial because many patients
tend to show less tolerance to exercise.

A study of 42 asthmatic children (8-16 years of age) evaluated the
effectiveness of aerobic exercise in managing asthma. Aerobic
training consisted primarily of sessions on an exercycle, three
times per week for two months (10-15 minutes of warmup/stretching,
30 minutes of cycling, 5-minute cooldown). Results showed that
aerobic training was associated with a significant short-term
reduction in use of the inhaled and oral steroids which are
commonly prescribed to asthma patients.

If you or someone you know suffers from asthma, ask your doctor
about the pros and cons of aerobic exercise. A moderate aerobic
training routine is a great way to stay fit, and it might be an
appropriate way to fight asthma at the same time.

Neder JA, Nery LE, Silva AC, et al. Short-term effects of aerobic
training in the clinical management of moderate to severe asthma in
children. Thorax 1999: Vol. 54, pp202-206.