Can People With Asthma Play Sports?

SmileyC

I read this article and it's very good. If you are one of those people who has Asthma(like my sister), you should read this. Even if you don't you should still read this because you mgiht be able to help someone who has Asthma.

Can People With Asthma Play Sports?

People with asthma can do more than play sports: They can excel at them. Nearly 17% of the U.S. athletes who participated in the 1996 Olympics have asthma. And those Olympic athletes with asthma did more than participate - 30% of them won medals.

Even if you don't want to be a professional athlete, you can benefit from being active and playing sports. It will keep you fit, help you stay at a healthy weight, and even strengthen the breathing muscles in your chest. If you have asthma, this is especially important because it can help your lungs work better.

Sports have some fantastic emotional benefits, too: Exercising causes the body to produce endorphins, chemicals in the body that lead a person to feel more peaceful and happy. Exercise can help some people sleep better. It can also help with mental health issues such as mild depression: People who feel strong and powerful can see themselves in a better light.

Which Sports Are Best?
Some sports are not as likely to cause problems for people with asthma. Swimming and downhill skiing are less likely to trigger asthma flare-ups. Sports like baseball, football, gymnastics, and shorter track and field events tend to be good for people with asthma, too.

Endurance sports, like long-distance running and cycling, and those that require energy output over a longer period of time, like soccer and basketball, may be more challenging for people with asthma. This is especially true for cold-weather sports like cross-country skiing or ice hockey. But that doesn't mean you can't participate in these sports if you truly enjoy them. In fact, many athletes with asthma have found that with proper training and medication, they can participate in any sport they choose.

What Precautions Should You Take?
Before playing sports, your asthma must be under control - in other words, you shouldn't be having lots of flare-ups. The best way to get asthma under control is by following your action plan and taking all asthma medication as prescribed - even when you're feeling OK. Skipping controller medication can make symptoms worse. Forgetting to take a prescribed medication before exercise can lead to severe flare-ups and even emergency department visits. You should carry rescue medication at all times, even during workouts, in case of a flare-up.

Talk with your doctor about your plans to play sports or work out. He or she may suggest some workout strategies. Depending on your triggers, this may mean skipping outdoor workouts when pollen or mold counts are high, wearing a scarf or ski mask when training outside during the winter, or making sure you always have time for a careful warm up and cool down. These suggestions should be listed in your written action plan.

Make sure your coach and teammates know about your asthma and understand when you need to stop working out and what steps to take if you have a flare-up. After a while, you'll become good at listening to your body so you'll know how to avoid or handle asthma problems at a game or practice.

Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: February 2005
_________________

Click the pic to go to my blog XD

wateva · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 5:59 pm Post subject:

my cousin has asthma and he's really good in track and feild....

Christine · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:55 pm Post subject:

WHAT?!!?

I'm not going to be a succesful Olympian!! xDDD
_________________

_________________
♥-- She’s going out to forget they were together
♥-- All that time he was taking her for granted.
♥-- She wants to see if there’s more than he gave.

NiCA-ChAN · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject:

Jenny has one too (asthma)every time she sweat too much and the chalk,(alergic and asthma!)
_________________

Love is a mysterious thing like inside a box...
Love is where we express our feelings for somebody...
Love is where we send gifts like flowers, chocolates for them to feel our feelings for them...
Love is when a relationship build and build until it became pure...
That's my meaning of love. What's yours and who's your valentines?

Rachel · Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:13 pm Post subject:

i have asthma but i still won the gold medal for badminton at our school last year....and i'm not that asthmatic now but when i was younger, i was really asthmatic...*believe me!! those days were not the good days!!*

[x] exotic realm · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 1:38 am Post subject:

Hey, I have asthma too!But it's mild..

I play almost ALL sports already and it didn't reflect me any better..
I just get LOADS and loads of sweat..
But it's actually really fine..
_________________

and all she wants is to dance
thats why youll find her on the floor

shes freaky

and she knows it

xos

lil_cookie--[killer] · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:12 pm Post subject:

I have a classmate who has Asthma and she runs very fast!
She is one of the best in our school.
And sometimes after the run, she could ummm....I think its Asthma Attacks......she could get asthma attacks.
But still, she wants to try again to beat her record Icon_favorites42

_________________

i ♥ Jack the Ripper
nananananananana
BATMAN!

Y.R.P are my heroes.

-- i r a h n e s s x3 · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:

My best friend has asthma.She still can run fast..She got 2nd for this running competition.
_________________
TEMPORARY DISFUNCTIONING .

Love is just a serial killer and we're all innocent victims❤

but you got me hanging on to every word you say, you're my freakin' addiction❤

Shilpa · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject:

My friend has asthama and came 3rd in the 600 metres dash! She's good!! But when we went to a cold place during our trip she was in the room and did not go anywhere because she got a massive attack and had forgotten her inhaler!! Icon_favorites18

She is VERY forgetful! Icon_favorites42

_________________
~~*Shilpa*~~

t h e . d r e a m e r · Posted: Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject:

I don't know anyone who is asthmatic but one of our forum member, animetion landed herself in the hospital because of that isn't it.
_________________

Who said I wanna be P E R F E C T??

Nobody’s p e r f e c t,
You just have to learn to l o v e that.

You know what I wanna be?
I just wanna be ME!