Contrary to popular myth, experts say exercise forms part of good asthma management. Stephanie Fsadni talks to a young rugby player who suffered severely from asthma as a child and who believes sports has helped improve his condition significantly.

Ben Naudi during a rugby training session.

Controlling asthma is the key to a normal, healthy lifestyle for millions of people who suffer from the condition worldwide. The mainstay of good asthma management requires following medications and avoiding triggers. Health professionals nowadays also stress the importance of exercise for asthmatics.

Ben Naudi, who was diagnosed with asthma at a very tender age, can attest to the health benefits of exercise. He believes that practising rugby has helped him control his asthma significantly over the years.

“I suffered from rather severe asthma as a toddler and child, and have spent a lot of time in hospital with a nebuliser due to severe attacks,” he says.

He describes an attack as if “your airways are being pinched and no matter how much you struggle, no air can get in”.

He recalls a particular episode of an attack vividly.

“When I was around seven years old, I was asleep and dreaming I was falling off a cliff. At the point in the dream when I was going to hit the ground, I woke up with a sinking feeling and was not able to breathe. I regained my breath after what felt like a lifetime even though it was probably not more than 20 to 30 seconds.”

As treatment, Ben had to regularly use Ventoline and Becotite inhalers before and after any kind of sport or strenuous physical activity and a minimum three times a day when sick.

It feels like your airways are being pinched and no matter how much you struggle no air can get in

One day, at the age of 13, he went to watch a good friend of his playing rugby and was encouraged to try it out.

“I thought it looked like fun and decided to attend a training session.”

His parents encouraged him and only cautioned him to never overdo it and always carry his inhalers in case of an emergency, just as health professionals recommended.

And he has not stopped training since. Ben is now 22 and feels better than ever.

“Nowadays asthma doesn’t really feature in my daily life. I only tend to have flare-ups when I get some kind of lung illness like bronchitis. And sometimes maybe it takes me a little longer to regain my breath after an intense fitness session.

“I think sports taught me to control my breathing better and also, in the case of rugby, not to panic in stressful situations.”

Respiratory consultant Stephen Montefort claims it is a myth that people with asthma should not exercise.

“On the contrary, it is beneficial,” he confirms.

He suggests that asthmatics should consult a doctor before starting any sport or strenuous physical activity.

And it is important to follow some rules: do a good warming-up session, avoid exercising in cold weather and always carry your reliever/inhaler with you.

Most sports are considered safe for asthmatics. However, Montefort notes that scuba-diving is “relatively contraindicated” if asthma is not controlled.

People who experience exercise-induced wheezing can take bronchodilators treatment before starting.

If one suffers an asthma attack while exercising, one should stop immediately and take his reliever. If one does not feel better, one should seek help. And one should not exercise again on the same day of an attack.