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Contents
Asthma, breathing and physical activity...................................................................................1
Exercise induced asthma....................................................................................................................1
Do you have exercise induced asthma?............................................................................. 2
What causes exercise induced asthma?............................................................................. 2
Managing exercise induced asthma...........................................................................................3
1. Control your day-to-day asthma................................................................................... 3
2. Prepare yourself for physical activity............................................................................ 3
i. Participate in asthma-friendly activities when you can............................... 3
ii. Always warm up............................................................................................................ 3
iii. Check weather conditions......................................................................................... 4
iv. Use your reliever inhaler before activity .............................................................. 4
v. Breathe – don’t heave!................................................................................................. 4
Learn to breathe easy . ........................................................................................................................5
1. Breathe through your nose.............................................................................................. 5
2. Use your diaphragm to breathe . .................................................................................. 5
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3. Relax while breathing out................................................................................................. 6
4. Breathe rhythmically........................................................................................................... 7
Having fun and staying active.........................................................................................................8
Your local affiliated Asthma Societies.........................................................................................9
Asthma, breathing and physical activity
We all know that physical activity is good for us.
Many people with asthma withdraw from physical activity because they
become frightened or don’t understand what is happening to their
bodies when they are active and experience asthma symptoms.
For people with asthma, physical activity is particularly important. It improves
lung capacity, blood flow and has an overall calming effect. Active people
usually have less symptoms and better control over their asthma.
It is easy to build physical activity into your life. Sport and Recreation NZ (SPARC)
recommends just 30 minutes of brisk walking on most days of the week. This
can be in ten minute bites if squeezing in thirty minutes a day is difficult.
Exercise induced asthma
People with asthma often have symptoms when they
are physically active, especially if the air is cold and dry
or they are unfit. For some people it is the only time they
experience asthma symptoms.
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There are many world-class athletes taking part in all sporting codes
who do not let their asthma get in the way of achieving their goals.
They control their asthma – their asthma does not control them.
Exercise induced asthma can
be managed with the right
information and help
from your doctor,
nurse, pharmacist or
asthma educator.
Pa g e Do you have exercise induced asthma?
signs
Some signs of asthma are:
• a tight feeling in the chest
• wheezing (noisy breathing)
• breathlessness
• coughing
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms during physical activity or
your peak flow1 drops 20% after exercise, your asthma may be exercise
induced. Please see your doctor.
What causes exercise induced asthma?
There are two theories about the cause
of exercise induced asthma.
Some researchers believe that the cool
air you breathe when you exercise dries
the lining of your airways. This triggers
your airways to spasm and become tight.
This is called the ‘water-loss theory’.
Another theory is that increased breathing
during activity cools your airways. When
activity stops, the blood vessels dilate to heat
the lining of the airways. The airways narrow
and cause shortness of breath and wheezing.
This is called the ‘heat-exchange theory.’
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Don’t let exercise induced asthma slow you down! It is really important that
people with exercise induced asthma don’t avoid physical activity. Read on
to find out how to take control of your exercise induced asthma.
Pa g e 1 Ask your doctor for a peak flow meter to
measure how fast you can blow air out of
your lungs. When your airways are swollen,
you get a lower peak flow reading.
Managing exercise induced asthma
1
Control your day-to-day asthma
i. Controlling your day-to-day asthma should improve your
exercise induced asthma
If you have symptoms of asthma more than three times a week,
your asthma is not well controlled. See your doctor to review your
medicines and ask for an Asthma Self Management Plan.
ii. Try to avoid exercising on days when you are experiencing asthma symptoms e.g. when you are getting a cold
2
Prepare yourself for physical activity
i. Participate in asthma-friendly activities when you can
Activities involving stopping
and starting or a warm moist
environment are less likely
to cause exercise induced
asthma eg. swimming,
walking, tramping, tennis,
yoga, martial arts, tai chi,
aerobics and team sports.
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ii. Always warm up
Stretching and a few
minutes of brisk walking or
skipping before exercise will:
• Help prevent exercise induced asthma
• Protect you from sprains and strains
• Get you in the mood to move!
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iii. Check weather conditions
•
If you have a choice, exercise inside on cooler dryer days.
•
If you are outside and it is cold, wear a thin warm scarf loosely
around your lower face. This will help
warm the air you breathe
iv. Use your reliever inhaler before activity
Take 1–2 puffs of your reliever
medicine just before you
start physical activity. If
you need to take reliever
medication more than
once after your initial
puff, then stop your activity
session for that day. Using a
spacer2 increases the effectiveness
of Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs).
spacer
If you exercise often and you require a dose of reliever before and during
your session, ask your doctor to reassess your preventer medication
dosage. You may also like to discuss with your doctor whether long acting
inhaled relievers/symptom controllers may be an option for you, as they
often help people with exercise induced asthma. You do need to be
taking regular preventer medication to be prescribed these medicines.
Other useful medicines/medications to discuss with your doctor are Intal,
Tilade or Vicrom – they are usually preventer medicines but can also be
used before exercise.
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v. Breathe – don’t heave!
Taking slow deep breaths through your nose with the right breathing
pattern can help people with exercise induced asthma.
Pa g e 2 For more information on spacers, ask your
doctor, nurse or educator for the booklet
called Understanding Your Inhaler or visit
the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation’s
website www.asthmanz.co.nz
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LEARN t o b r e at h E e a s y
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1 Breathe
through your
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It is important to breathe
through your nose
as this
warms, filters and moistens the air that enters your lungs.
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It also helps to regulate your breathing.
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Here are four tips to help correct your breathing pattern:
If your nose is often blocked by hay-fever or sinusitis, ask your doctor
about nasal treatments. Controlling hay-fever and clearing your nose
can make a big difference to your daily life and to your asthma.
Steps 1 and 2
Nose breathing may take practice, especially if you aren’t used to it.
1
2 Use your diaphragm to breathe
2
Your diaphragm is a large muscle
separating your lungs from your
abdomen. Your diaphragm can
work hard and never get tired.
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Some people breathe using their chest
muscles instead of their diaphragm.
This takes extra effort and can cause
fatigue and tension.
Pa g e D i ap h ra g m
Test yourself to see whether you breathe correctly through
your diaphragm (diaphragmatic breathing):
1.Sit upright and relax
your shoulders
2.Rest one hand on your chest
and the other on your stomach
3.Breathe in deeply through your
nose and pay attention to the
movement of your hands.
If you use your diaphragm
to breathe, the hand on your
stomach will move
If you use your chest muscles
to breathe, the hand on your
chest will move
Try both ways of breathing and feel the difference. If you are a chest
breather, practise diaphragmatic breathing for a few moments several
times a day. Soon diaphragmatic breathing will become automatic.
relax
3 Relax while breathing out
It is important to relax and let the air flow out of your lungs slowly
and freely. Take a moment to remind yourself how good it feels:
1. Sit upright and relax
your shoulders
3.Using your diaphragm breathe
in gently and fully
2.Remember to breathe
through your nose
4.Then just let go
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Pa g e 5.Feel the air flow out fully
and effortlessly
Doesn’t this feel natural and relaxing? Practise relaxing while you breathe
out and it will become automatic.
4
Breathe rhythmically
Slow rhythmic breathing can help calm you. Practise this
exercise several times a day:
1. Sit upright and relax your shoulders
2.Breathe in gently and fully using your diaphragm
Steps 3 and 4
r h yt h m i c a l ly
Most people breathe faster when they are tense or
anxious. Their breathing becomes short and shallow.
This type of breathing is inefficient, tiring and it can
make you feel uptight or frightened.
3.Let your breath flow out freely
4.To slow down, pause a moment before your next inward breath
5.Aim for a rhythm of about 10 –14 breaths per minute
3
4
We recommend a book on breathing called: Breathing Works for Asthma,
by Dinah Bradley and Tania Clifton Smith, ( Tandem Press, NZ.)
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Pa g e Having fun and staying active
Being fit and healthy can make a positive difference
to your life in many different ways. It is particularly
beneficial for people with asthma.
Take control of your asthma and enjoy an active and rewarding lifestyle.
For ideas on fun ways to get active, see www.sparc.org.nz, or phone
0800-ACTIVE (0800-228-483). For advice and support in getting active,
ask your doctor or nurse for a Green Prescription.
If you have asthma, take regular medications, and partake in competitive
sport, check that your medications won’t affect any drug-testing by calling
0800DRUGFREE (0800-3784-3733) or go to www.drugfreesport.org.nz
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Pa g e Your local affiliated Asthma Societies
Kaikohe (branch of Northland)
KAIKOHE
Ph: 09-4052227
Asthma Society Northland (Inc.)
WHANGAREI
Ph: 09-438-5205
Matamata Asthma Society (branch of Waikato)
MATAMATA
South Waikato Asthma Society
Ph: 07-888-6233
Asthma & Respiratory Management BOP Inc.
TAURANGA
Eastern Bay of Plenty Asthma
Ph: 07-577-6738
and COPD Support Group
WHAKATANE
Ph: 07-307-1447
Gisborne & East Coast Asthma Society (Inc.)
GISBORNE
Asthma Rotorua
Ph: 06-868-9970
ROTORUA
Ph: 07-347-1012
(branch of Waikato)
TOKOROA
Ph: 07-883-3039
Taupo Asthma Society
Waikato Asthma & Respiratory Society
HAMILTON
Taranaki Asthma Society
Ph: 07-846-4431
NEW PLYMOUTH
Ph: 06-751-2501
(branch of Rotorua)
TAUPO
Ph: 021-190-2363
Turangi (branch of Rotorua)
TURANGI
Ph: 021-460-568
Wanganui Asthma Society
WANGANUI
Ph: 06-347-6509
Asthma Hawke’s Bay
NAPIER
Ph: 06-835-0018
Kapiti Asthma Society Inc
PARAPARAUMU BEACH
Ph: 04-902-6855
Wellington Regional Asthma Society
PORIRUA
Ph: 04-237-4520
Nelson Asthma Society
NELSON
Ph: 03 546-7675
Wairarapa Asthma Society
MASTERTON
Ph: 06-377-1175
Tu Kotahi Maori Asthma Society
LOWER HUTT
Ph: 04-939-4629
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South Canterbury Asthma Society
TIMARU
Ph: 03-688-5571
Southland Asthma
Society Inc
INVERCARGILL
Ph: 03-214-2356
Asthma Marlborough
BLENHEIM
Ph: 03-579-1609
Asthma Canterbury
CHRISTCHURCH
Ph: 03-366-5235
North Otago Asthma Society
OAMARU
Ph: 03-434-3202
Otago Asthma Society
DUNEDIN
Ph: 03-471-6167
Pa g e Produced by the Advocacy & Education Committee of Asthma
and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (Inc) 2006
© Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand (Inc.) 02/2006 Photocopy permission granted
[email protected]
www.asthmanz.co.nz
Helping New Zealanders breathe easier
Please call 0900 4 ASTHMA (0900 4 278 464) to make an automatic $20 donation
All donations are appreciated
The Foundation is a non-government charitable organisation providing
education, research and advocacy on all respiratory conditions.