Asthma is a chronic disease that causes airway obstruction through the tubes that are responsible for the air that you breathe moving in and out of the lungs. When the bands of muscles surrounding the airways are relaxed you are able to breathe normal and air can move freely through your lungs. People with asthma face many problems, some are allergic to dust, cigarette smoke and pollen from flowers and when they come in close contact with these substances they are likely to have what is called an asthma attack.

Although it is a known fact that exercise can induce asthma attacks, it is also believed that exercise can be beneficial to a person with asthma. Swimming is one of the recommended exercises for people with asthma, because it is done in a warm, humid atmosphere and is available all during the year. It tones up the muscles of the upper body and because of the horizontal position it may help mobilize mucus at the bottom of the lungs. Some other recommended exercises are walking, hiking, biking and downhill skiing. Wearing a scarf over your nose or mouth during the cold winter months may also help reduce asthmatic symptoms, because it helps to warm the air you inhale.

When considering a sporting activity the recommended team sports for asthmatic people are football, wrestling, gymnastics, golfing, short track and field events, surfing or baseball, because they only require short bursts of energy and are less likely to cause an asthma attack . Sports such as field hockey, long distance running, basketball or soccer are not recommended however, because these sports require continuous activity and are more likely to trigger asthma attacks. In winter sports such as ice hockey and cross country skiing are not recommended because they are likely to bring on an asthma attack.

People suffering with asthma conditions should be able to exercise safely with the proper diagnosis and medication because it is good for their physical health as well as their mental state of mind. It is a known fact that many athletes have a history of asthma, but with proper use of asthma medication, they were able to compete in the Olympic Games and even won medals in these competitions both in the team and individual categories. So with that said it is safe to say that people with asthma conditions are not exempt from participating in exercise, provided they do so with the proper care and medication.