ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that although exercise is a trigger for asthma, it can also be used as an effective therapy for the management of the disease. It discusses how to assess fitness and monitor changes over time in asthma patients. Asthma is an obstructive airway disease in which individuals will intermittently experience a reduction in expiratory airflow. Asthma airway obstruction is a result of smooth muscle contraction, inflammation and remodelling in the lower airways that can be reversed and controlled with suitable therapy. Inhaled corticosteroids are seen as the protective form of asthma therapy as they control inflammatory processes and reduce the occurrence of symptoms. Severe asthmatic patients will need regular or longer rest periods during exercise. They will have reduced endurance and higher Borg scores and may use their rescue medication more frequently than the moderate asthmatic patients.
