Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. This is especially true for people with asthma, as exercise can help improve lung capacity and reduce asthma symptoms.

However, if you’re wheezing, experiencing tightness of chest or coughing during or after physical activity, then it is likely that exercise is a trigger for your asthma. If your asthma symptoms get worse during or after exercise, then it may be a sign that your asthma is not well controlled. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it’s better to focus on getting your asthma under control than to avoid exercise.

Common Asthma Triggers in Exercise

  • Cold air
  • Long distance running
  • Fitness tests
  • Chlorine in swimming pools
  • Pollen (including grass cuttings)

Top tips for exercising with asthma

  1. Maintain good asthma control by:
  • Taking asthma medication as prescribed.
  • Managing your asthma triggers.
  • Developing an asthma management plan with your healthcare professional.

2. Always warm up gently for approximately 15 minutes before more vigorous exercising and cool down afterwards. This helps your body, and particularly your lungs, to get ready for the upcoming, more strenuous exercise.

3. Always have a reliever inhaler (usually blue) with you when you exercise:

  • If your asthma is triggered during exercise take your reliever inhaler approximately 15 minutes before warming up. (2 puffs of a Metered Dose Inhaler or one puff from a Discus or Turbohaler)

4. Tell people you have asthma.

  • If you are exercising alone, make sure someone knows where you are and what time you are due to return.
  • Make sure that your coach and the people you exercise with know you have asthma.

5. If your asthma is triggered by pollen, you may wish to:

  • Avoid exercising outside when the pollen count is high.
    Make sure you are taking the right medication to manage your hay fever as well as your asthma.

If you have asthma symptoms during exercise: STOP, take your reliever medication and wait 5 minutes until you can breathe easily and are symptom free before starting again.