This Tuesday, May 2, is World Asthma Day. More than four million people suffer from this respiratory disease in France. For a long time, drugs and rest were prescribed as treatment, limiting physical activity to avoid crises. However, recent scientific studies show that sport is good for asthmatics.
Thanks to sport, asthmatics work the muscles that are all around the lungs, such as the diaphragm. Yet for a long time it was prescribed as a medication treatment and rest, limiting physical activity to avoid seizures. However, daily physical activity allows them to increase their lung capacity. “It improves the breath, it improves respiratory function, it helps control the disease and it improves the quality of life of asthmatic patients”, explains Doctor Françoise Pariente Ichou, scientific manager of the Gregory Pariente Foundation, which takes care of teenagers with asthma.
Precautions to be observed
Just follow a few precautions before a session. “You have to have your emergency treatment on you. It’s the little blue inhaler. You have to inhale one or two puffs ten minutes before exercise and you adapt the effort to what you are able to do”, she adds. In general, a gradual warm-up is recommended before starting your sporting activity.
Running, swimming, football, all sports are allowed. On the other hand, outdoor training should be avoided during pollution peaks, periods of extreme cold or very hot weather.
Source: Europe1
I’m a journalist who covers health care news. I’ve been working in the news industry for more than 6 years. I have experience writing for print, online, and television. My work has been published by various news websites and magazines.
