Exercise and physical activity with asthma

Asthma + Lung UK says exercise is good for everyone, including people with asthma, and that if asthma is well controlled you should be able to join in, have fun and keep fit. Regular activity supports heart health, mood, sleep and weight.

The NHS also lists exercising regularly as a sensible step for people with asthma, together with keeping to a healthy weight and not smoking.

The NHS lists exercise among the common triggers for asthma symptoms, alongside cold air, air pollution, allergies and infections. Wheeze, cough, a tight chest or breathlessness during or after activity are the usual signs.

Asthma + Lung UK says that when exercise triggers symptoms, it is usually a sign the asthma is not as well controlled as it could be. That makes symptoms during sport a reason to review treatment rather than a reason to stop exercising.

The NHS advises getting advice from your doctor or nurse about exercising safely if exercise triggers your symptoms. A review may check inhaler technique, adherence to a preventer, and whether a change of medicine or a pre-exercise reliever dose is suitable for you.

Always carry your reliever inhaler. Asthma + Lung UK advises starting slowly and building up gradually, and carrying the reliever with you.

• Warm up gradually before harder effort and cool down afterwards.

• Take any medicine your team has advised before exercise exactly as directed.

• Choose cold-weather options such as covering the mouth, if cold air is a trigger.

Asthma + Lung UK says getting out of breath when active is normal and can help improve symptoms, but panic can make it worse. Its talk test says that needing to stop for breath while saying a sentence is a sign you are exercising at the right level, whereas being able to say only one word or none means slowing down and finding an easier activity.

The same page lists aerobic activities such as brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling and team sports, strength activities such as using weights or climbing stairs, and balance and flexibility work at least twice a week.

Asthma + Lung UK lists stop signs including chest pain or tightness, feeling more breathless than usual, dizziness, feeling sick, clammy or very cold, wheezing, sore joints or muscle weakness.

If wheeze or tightness develops, stop, sit up, use your reliever as in your action plan and wait for it to settle. The NHS says during an asthma attack to sit up straight, try to stay calm and follow your plan, and to call 999 if symptoms worsen, maximum doses of the reliever do not help or you do not have an inhaler.

Asthma + Lung UK says an asthma action plan helps you manage your asthma well and lowers your risk of symptoms and attacks. The NHS says your care team will give a plan covering medicine use, symptom monitoring, trigger avoidance and emergency steps, in printed or digital form, and you should bring it to appointments.

The NHS says you should have check-ups at least once a year. Use the review to discuss any exercise-related symptoms and to ask whether peak flow monitoring would help.

Asthma + Lung UK offers a Keep Active video programme at three levels for people with lung conditions, which includes breathing techniques and warm-up and cool-down videos, with advice to check with a healthcare professional first. Its helpline can answer questions about asthma and activity.

Breathing exercises are sometimes offered by physiotherapists as a supplement to medicines rather than a replacement. Ask your asthma nurse whether a referral would be appropriate if breathlessness persists despite good control.