If you are an asthma sufferer and a fitness nut, then you'll realise that exercise can be a dangerous thing if you don't take the proper precautions. Being a little prudent before undertaking any form of exercise is vitally important and in most cases, depending on the severity of your asthma, undertaking exercise should only be considered under a doctor's advice.

By being a little vigilant, there is no reason why you cannot include exercise as part of your daily routine. Let's examine some steps you can perform during and after any strenuous activity.

Performing Safe Exercise

1. It doesn't matter what type of activity you undertake, if you are an asthma sufferer then a warm-up is vital. It's good practice to spend at least 10 minutes warming up so your body will gradually get attuned to the exercise to follow. Rushing in and working out without any warm-up could lead to a rush of adrenaline and shortness of breath.

2. Your exercise routine should also be performed slowly. Slowly means keeping your heart rate at a safe level. Monitoring your heart rate is advisable and keeping it to below 150 beats a minute will normally keep you in the safety zone. It's easy to become complacent during exercise and remember, exercise induced asthma will not usually surface until after your routine has been completed.

3. Using inhaled medication before you begin a routine can be helpful as this helps keep your airways open. I recently observed a professional footballer during a play-off game in Australia using his inhaler before the start of a match and during the half time break.

4. Swimming is considered an excellent asthma exercise. Slow laps of a pool will get you into a nice rhythm but again, doing a warm-up before diving into the water.

5. While warming up is important so is cooling down. There are a number of cooling down exercises you can perform this acts by moderating the air but more importantly, cooling your body down naturally.

Other Danger Signs

Heavily pollenated areas are not a good exercise option for sufferers. Add the prospect of a warm climate then extreme caution is needed. At the other end of the scale, cold air is a known trigger which should be avoided. In colder climates, exercising indoors is a preferred option but there are instances where breathing through a mask has proved effective.

Asthma sufferers in the main, should avoid extremely strenuous exercise. There are exceptions to the rule but in those instances, you'll find they are usually professional sportspersons or very close to it. Asthma can be fatal without proper management. Don't get hung up on the fact that asthma exercise can be a risk. Sure it's a risk but with proper management, it can be kept under control and there is no reason why exercise shouldn't be part of a sufferer's life.