Asthma is among the most common chronic diseases in children and adults worldwide. In the US, over 6 million children have asthma, and despite the advances in pharmacological treatment, asthma continues to cause morbidity in children. Many patients with asthma have reported exercise as a trigger for their asthma, resulting in an increase in sedentary time as compared to healthy peers. Due to fears of an asthma attack as a result of bronchoconstriction, many children have avoided exercise despite physical activity being an essential part of normal childhood growth and development.
However, evolving research has suggested that routine exercise is safe in children and can help improve asthma control and symptoms. In a recent systematic review of exercise training on nocturnal asthma symptoms, it was found that aerobic exercise reduced the frequency and prevalence of such symptoms. Likewise, a 10-week randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise in 38 children with asthma found improvements in VO2max, pulmonary function, and all measures of quality of life as compared to the control. Additionally, activities with a short burst of activity are generally better than exercises with a long period of activity. As such, children who did swimming, as compared to football or basketball, had significant improvements in their asthma symptoms and general well-being. Therefore, activities such as walking and biking are recommended for children with asthma as they are easier to pace.
I had asthma as a child and was frequently in and out of hospitals and urgent care due to having asthma attacks. Asthma made it hard for me to engage in activities that required physical exertion due to always feeling out of breath, such that running around or playing on playgrounds was hard on me. However, to overcome my asthma, I focused on avoiding triggers and incorporating activities that would improve asthma control and lung function. By being a part of the track team throughout middle school, I was able to strengthen my breathing muscles and improve my lung capacity, which has helped me control my asthma. For about ten years now, I have not had a single asthma attack and have continued to prioritize exercise because being active has not only helped my asthma symptoms but has also improved my cardiovascular and mental health, which is why exercise is so important.
Wow, 6 million?! When I was little I was running around doing everything and I remember having friends who had asthma and didn't feel up to running around everywhere with me. I remember when I played soccer a few girls who had it had to sit down a few times through practice and have always heard that running and doing activities is hard on their asthma so I wouldn't have thought that it could help. It sounds like having daily short periods of exercise builds up a sort of "endurance" in the body maybe particularly in the lung area. Your own story on dealing with this and incorporating activity despite the struggle is really amazing, my sister has asthma and I will be recommending a daily activity routine. Does an established exercise routine only help developing kids or does it also apply to adults as well? Thanks for the informative post!
ReplyDeleteIt is incredible that gradual exposure to certain types of aerobic exercise could be beneficial to people with asthma. I hope that this study and similar ones can be replicated and expanded on because it would give a lot of control back to people living with asthma, especially if they grew up with the fear of having an asthma attack. Similar to our Cura Project, I am certain that this gradual increase in exercise will also improve their mental well-being and open up more doors for socializing and forming key relationships. Thank you for sharing your story with asthma, and despite the challenges, it is amazing that you persevered through it all!
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