To Your Health
December, 2023 (Vol. 17, Issue 12) |
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Exercise for Asthma
By Editorial Staff
Deficits in lung function, including shortness of breath, are hallmark symptoms of asthma, which makes therapies that help normalize breathing critical. That's why new study findings that suggest aerobic exercise and yoga can assist asthma sufferers are so encouraging.
The study analyzed 28 previous investigations involving 2,155 people with asthma, examining how lung function improved under multiple therapeutic conditions: aerobic training, relaxation training, yoga training, and breathing combined with aerobic training. Compared to a control group that received conventional rehabilitation, all five interventions proved more effective in improving various lung function variables.
These findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, are particularly significant because as the review authors state, "Exercise has traditionally been viewed as a contraindication for individuals with asthma, as it was believed to trigger or worsen acute asthma attacks." In addition, because conventional asthma treatment primarily relies on medication, the suggestion that non-drug alternatives exist should be warmly received by asthma sufferers and their doctors.
