Review article
Physical Activity and Asthma
Jelena Macan
orcid.org/0000-0001-6269-5475
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Goran Romić
; Karate klub Bregana, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
There is general agreement among experts that children and adults with asthma should be encouraged to participate in regular physical activity due to its benefi cial effects on disease activity and the patient’s quality of life. However, asthma attack can be provoked by exercise and the accepted term for this type of asthma attack is exercise-induced asthma (EIA). This phenomenon can interfere with involvement in school, recreational or top level sport activities, and limit achievements of asthmatic athletes. This article describes patophysiology, clinical features, diagnostic procedures, and therapy of EIA. We presented nonpharmacological preventive measures of EIA with particular attention to the selection of adequate sport
discipline and adjustments of the training process for asthmatics. Furthermore, we reviewed our previous studies assessing Greco-Roman wrestling and non-contact karate in terms of their suitability for conditioning children with allergic diseases including asthma. We described the specifi cities of asthmatic top athletes participating in international competitions and we included the list of prohibited antiasthmatic drugs according to the World Anti-Doping Agency. We also presented a separate asthma phenotype which developed in top athletes who were respiratory healthy upon entry into training. With respect to all described specifi cities of EIA, modern diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities allow asthmatic persons to participate
in various sport activities, even on top international level. Physical activities of asthmatics should be closely monitored and undertaken in cooperation with experts of kinesiology, education and sport medicine. They should also include regular health checkups, adequate asthma therapy, selection of appropriate sport discipline, and adjustments of training process.
Keywords
doping; exercise-induced asthma; karate; sport discipline; training process; wrestling
Hrčak ID:
92076
URI
Publication date:
16.11.2012.
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