Here's How To (Safely) Exercise With Asthma

If you battle asthma, you know how tough it can be to get regular exercise. But new research suggests that if you approach your workouts the right way, cardio could actually ease asthma symptoms and lower the risk of suffering a full-on attack.

In a study recently published in the medical journal Thorax, researchers followed 43 people with moderate to severe asthma for 3 months. Half of the patients did simple breathing exercises twice a week, while the rest followed an aerobic training program on a treadmill two times a week. Each session was 35 minutes, including a 5-minute warm-up and a 5-minute cool-down. 

By the end of the study, airway inflammation had dropped significantly for those in the treadmill group, while measures of their lung function (oxygen consumption and aerobic capacity) improved. For the non-exercise group, those measures did not change. Even better, people in the treadmill group had fewer incidences of asthma symptoms.

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"The findings suggest exercise has an enormous potential in asthma treatment and should be complementary to medication," says study author Celso Carvalho, PT, PhD, professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine.

Carvalho stresses that you should exercise under your doctor's supervision—all the patients in the study continued to use their medications. Get you doctor's advice on incorporating exercise that's appropriate for you. If you have exercise-induced asthma, your MD will likely have you use an inhaler (Albuterol) prior to exercise, and keep it on hand to use again during your workout if you start to notice symptoms of an attack.

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Here are a few other tips to help prevent asthma symptoms during your workout.

Hit the pool.

Dig out those goggles and try a few laps. Studies have shown that swimming is less likely to cause attacks in people with asthma than other activities out of the pool—and any symptoms that do occur tend to be less severe. The warmth and humidity at the pool makes working out easier on the lungs and airways, explains Andrew Murphy, MD, an allergist at the Asthma Allergy and Sinus Center in West Chester, PA. Just make sure asthma is under control before jumping in, and—as with any new exercise regimen—start out slow and gradually build up intensity, he adds.

One possible hitch: Chlorine can be an asthma trigger for some people, Murphy says.

Aim for a steady pace.
Heavy breathing can quickly turn into wheezing, coughing, and tightening of the chest; during high-intensity activity you're more likely to breathe through your mouth, which sends air directly to your lungs and airways, says Murphy. When you breathe through your nose, air gets warmed and humidified in the nostrils.

Stick to low-intensity activities that allow you to maintain more normal breathing primarily through your nose, such as walking, hiking, and golf, Murphy says. Or if you prefer running or biking, aim for a consistent speed where it's still easy to chat with a friend (that's a good measure your lungs are still working at an even pace). 

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Warm up and cool down.
Start with light movements to allow your airways to adjust to the higher demands, advises Murphy. Jumping into exercise too quickly could trigger asthma flares. Spend the first 5 to 10 minutes of your workout at about two-thirds of your usual pace, and end your workout the same way, Murphy recommends.

Watch the weather.

Cold, dry temperatures are more likely to trigger asthma flares—the lack of moisture can irritate your lungs and airways. Some people are more sensitive than others, so there's no clear threshold, Murphy says. Generally, cold-weather sports like ice-skating and skiing are more likely to trigger flares. Allowing the body to gradually adjust to temperature changes can help, and covering the mouth with a mask or scarf can also help to warm and humidify air before it hits your lungs.

Keep an eye out for warnings about high pollen counts and high levels of air pollution, as well, says Murphy—both can be asthma triggers. If your local forecast doesn't note pollen and pollution levels, check the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology's National Allergy Bureau website for reports on where you live.