Severe Asthma ToolkitSevere Asthma Toolkit
HomeAboutSpecific PopulationsRegistriesContributorsContact
Twitter
  • What is Severe Asthma?
    • Overview
    • Definition
    • Prevalence & Burden
    • Pathophysiology
    • Symptoms
    • Severe Asthma Attacks / Exacerbations / Flare-ups
    • Asthma Phenotypes
  • Diagnosis & Assessment
    • Overview
    • Diagnosis Overview
    • Assessment Overview
    • Lung Function Assessments
    • Questionnaires
    • Allergy Assessments
    • Phenotyping
    • Bronchoscopy
    • Imaging
    • Occupational Asthma
  • Management
    • Overview
    • Asthma Education
      • About Severe Asthma
      • Asthma Pathophysiology
      • Medications Education
      • Self-Monitoring
      • Triggers
      • Review
    • Written Action Plans
    • Adherence
    • Inhaler Technique
    • Physical Activity & Exercise
    • Interdisciplinary Approach & Multidimensional Assessment
    • Referral
  • Medications
    • Overview
    • Relievers
    • Preventers / Controllers
    • Add-on Therapies
    • Monoclonal Antibodies
    • Bronchial Thermoplasty
  • Co-Morbidities
    • Overview
    • Pulmonary & Upper Airways
      • Allergic & Non-Allergic Rhinitis
      • Chronic Rhinosinusitis
      • Dysfunctional Breathing
      • Vocal Cord Dysfunction
      • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
      • Bronchiectasis
      • Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
    • Extra-Pulmonary
      • Obesity
      • Anxiety & Depression
      • Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GORD)
      • Osteoporosis
      • Cardiovascular Disease & Metabolic Disease
  • Living with Severe Asthma
    • Overview
    • Daily Symptom Burden
    • Mental & Emotional Health
    • Intimacy & Relationships
    • Self-Management Support
    • Medication Use & Costs
    • Experience of Care
    • Experience of Asthma Attacks
    • Prognosis
  • Establishing a Clinic
    • Overview
    • Set-up
    • Staffing & Multidisciplinary Team Approach
    • Facilities
    • Delivery Approach
    • Tailored Referrals
    • Evaluation
    • Opportunities for Training & Research
    • Barriers & Hurdles
  • Paediatrics
    • Overview
    • Management in Paediatrics
    • Assessment in Paediatrics
    • Alternative Diagnosis & Co-Morbidities in Paediatrics
    • Psychosocial Issues in Paediatrics
    • Medications in Paediatrics
    • Asthma in the Adolescent Population
  • Resources
    • Overview
    • Clinic Recommendations
    • Infographics
    • Asthma Assessment Resources
    • Systematic & Multidimensional Assessment Resources
      • Airway Components
      • Comorbidity Components
      • Risk Factor Components
    • Translation & Implementation
    • Case Studies
    • Presentations
    • Videos
    • Relevant Links
    • Key References

Physical Activity & Exercise

Home Management Physical Activity & Exercise
patients testing the effects of asthma and exercise while on a stationary bike

Physical Activity, Asthma and Exercise

In the general asthma population, exercise training programs are well tolerated, and have a positive effect on health-related quality of life and cardiopulmonary fitness (Carson et al. 2013). Additionally, higher engagement in leisure-time physical activity has been positively associated with reduced exacerbations (Garcia-Aymerich et al. 2009) and health care use (Strine et al. 2007). The Asthma Handbook promotes adherence to physical activity for people with asthma. Despite this, adults with asthma have decreased levels of physical activity compared to the general population (Ford et al. 2003, Van’t Hul et al. 2016, Cordova-Rivera et al. 2018).

In people with severe asthma, reduced activity is even more pronounced than in less severe forms of the disease (Cordova-Rivera et al. 2017), likely due to poor disease control and the fear of triggering respiratory symptoms. This avoidance of activity is likely to further perpetuate deconditioning and poor health status. Nevertheless, in people with severe asthma aerobic training has positive effects, such as decreased bronchial hyperresponsiveness and exacerbations (Franca-Pinto et al. 2015), and improved health-related quality of life (Turner et al. 2011, Franca-Pinto et al. 2015)

Despite the need for further research to understand the impact of physical activity and exercise in people with severe asthma, promoting active lifestyle can be seen as an adjunct non-pharmacological strategy for the management of the disease.  The level and type of activity should be discussed with the medical team, and medications should be integrated to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm.

Additional Resources:

Australian Asthma Handbook – recommendations for exercise and asthma

Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines – provide general recommendations for physical activity (Note: these guidelines are general and not specifically developed for individuals with asthma)

Previous
Next

Last Updated on February 11, 2019

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Search in posts
Search in pages
Filter by Categories

More results...

  • Overview
  • Asthma Education
    • About Severe Asthma
    • Asthma Pathophysiology
    • Medications Education
    • Self-Monitoring
    • Triggers
    • Review
  • Written Action Plans
  • Adherence
  • Inhaler Technique
  • Physical Activity & Exercise
  • Interdisciplinary Approach & Multidimensional Assessment
  • Referral
For considerations relevant to the paediatric and adolescent population, please see Management in Paediatrics or Asthma in the Adolescent Population

We want to know who accesses the Severe Asthma Toolkit and how it is used. Please complete our survey.

Responses will inform the continued development of the Severe Asthma Toolkit and future translation and implementation activities. Any feedback you provide will be greatly appreciated.

Complete Survey

  • Website Terms of Use
  • Website Survey
© Copyright 2018    CRICOS Provider Number 00109J    The University of Newcastle, Australia