Living with asthma: prepare regular physical activity with your doctor

New breathlessness without respiratory distress needs medical assessment the same day. In France, call 15 or 112 immediately if it prevents you from finishing sentences or comes with bluish lips or changes in alertness. Preparation for exercise must not delay this assessment.

Regular physical activity is compatible with well-controlled asthma under medical follow-up. Before restarting, Ameli advises seeing your doctor to check control and consider other medical conditions. Also describe difficulties with ordinary activities and night-time waking due to asthma: these form part of the assessment.

Symptoms may occur during exercise or shortly after stopping. Record when coughing, wheezing or chest tightness appears, what you were doing and in which environment. These observations help the discussion with your doctor. They do not establish on their own that every breathing difficulty during exercise is due to asthma.

Cold dry air, pollution or pollen peaks and some irritants may trigger symptoms around exercise. Choosing an activity therefore involves considering the environment and your known triggers. Prepare with your doctor the adjustments that apply to the places and conditions in which you plan to exercise.

Ameli describes a gradual warm-up, appropriate intensity and gradual recovery after exercise. Clarify how to organise these stages for your current ability and chosen activity. A realistic plan also takes your preferences and schedule into account so that activity can be regular.

Your prescribed reliever medicine should remain accessible during activity. Clarify your own instructions with your doctor and find your written action plan if one has been provided. It describes the signs and responses planned for your asthma. Discuss with the doctor the instructions before exercise and if symptoms occur.