| ASTHMA AND THE
ATHLETE
Asthma is a condition which is on the rise in Australia. It is estimated that up to 30 per cent of people experience asthma at some time during their life. It is particularly prevalent amongst children. When it comes to asthma, exercise is a two-edged sword. While acting as a trigger for asthma, it has also been proven that asthmatics who train regularly have fewer asthma attacks and less severe attacks. Most asthmatics can participate in some form of regular activity and, when the asthma is appropriately controlled, can compete successfully at the highest level of competition, including world and Olympic events. Some of Australia's top athletes are asthmatics, including swimming greats Samantha Riley and Scott Miller. So what advise should you give to an asthmatic and their parents? Firstly, it is important for the person to have an accurate diagnosis of their condition performed by a medical practitioner. Once this is done, an asthma management plan can be formulated. The Asthma Foundation of Australia has pamphlets which outline their Seven-Step Asthma Management Plan. As part of the diagnosis and plan, the medical practitioner will cover what triggers the attacks and how to avoid those triggers as much as possible. It will also clearly state what medication can be used. Where exercise is a trigger to asthma attacks, known as exercise induced asthma, it is important that the medical practitioner understand that a slightly different asthma management plan is needed. Professor Alan Morton, a leading Western Australian exercise physiologist, says that the management of exercise induced asthma is different from, but relies on the general asthma management plan. "If a patient's chronic asthma is not adequately controlled in the first place, it is extremely difficult to control their exercise induced asthma," said Professor Morton "Once the patient's asthma is controlled, the exercise response will be minimised and the amount of pre-exercise preventative medication required may be reduced or, in some cases, eliminated." |
Dr Morton recommends a seven step management plan for exercise induced asthma:
This last point is extremely important if the person is serious about moving in to national or international competition. Only some asthma medications are considered acceptable for use during international sporting competition. As a coach, teacher or trainer, the best advice you can give to an asthmatic is that asthma is a common condition, it is controllable, and exercise and sport can be a part of an asthmatic's daily routine. BY Ester Guerzoni, Publications & Public Relations
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