Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Sports Medicine logoLink to British Journal of Sports Medicine
. 1989 Jun;23(2):115–122. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.23.2.115

The effect of endurance running training on asthmatic adults.

W Freeman 1, M G Nute 1, C Williams 1
PMCID: PMC1478628  PMID: 2605441

Abstract

Nine mild to moderate asthmatic adults (three males, six females) and six non-asthmatics (one male, five females) underwent endurance running training three times per week for five weeks, at self selected running speeds on a motorized treadmill. After training, the asthmatic group had a significantly higher maximum oxygen uptake, significantly lower blood lactate and heart rate in submaximal running, and significantly reduced time to complete a two mile treadmill run, partly attributable to the ability to exercise at a higher % VO2 max after training. These training induced changes of the asthmatic group were generally of a greater magnitude than those shown by the non-asthmatic group. Although seven of the nine asthmatics did show a reduction in the post-exercise fall in FEV1 after the five week training period, this was not statistically significant for the asthmatic group as a whole. The results of this study therefore suggest that endurance running training can improve the aerobic fitness of asthmatic adults, and may reduce the severity of exercise-induced asthma.

Full text

PDF
115

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Afzelius-Frisk I., Grimby G., Lindholm N. Physical training in patients with asthma. Poumon Coeur. 1977;33(1):33–37. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson S. D. Current concepts of exercise-induced asthma. Allergy. 1983 Jul;38(5):289–302. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1983.tb04122.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Arborelius M., Jr, Svenonius E. Decrease of exercise-induced asthma after physical training. Eur J Respir Dis Suppl. 1984;136:25–31. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bar-Yishay E., Gur I., Inbar O., Neuman I., Dlin R. A., Godfrey S. Differences between swimming and running as stimuli for exercise-induced asthma. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1982;48(3):387–397. doi: 10.1007/BF00430229. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Borg G. A. Perceived exertion: a note on "history" and methods. Med Sci Sports. 1973 Summer;5(2):90–93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Bundgaard A., Ingemann-Hansen T., Schmidt A., Halkjaer-Kristensen J. Effect of physical training on peak oxygen consumption rate and exercise-induced asthma in adult asthmatics. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1982 Feb;42(1):9–13. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Daniels J. T., Yarbrough R. A., Foster C. Changes in VO2 max and running performance with training. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1978 Oct 20;39(4):249–254. doi: 10.1007/BF00421448. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Deal E. C., Jr, McFadden E. R., Jr, Ingram R. H., Jr, Strauss R. H., Jaeger J. J. Role of respiratory heat exchange in production of exercise-induced asthma. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1979 Mar;46(3):467–475. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1979.46.3.467. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Eggleston P. A. Laboratory evaluation of exercise-induced asthma: methodologic considerations. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1979 Dec;64(6 Pt 2):604–608. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(79)90022-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ekblom B., Astrand P. O., Saltin B., Stenberg J., Wallström B. Effect of training on circulatory response to exercise. J Appl Physiol. 1968 Apr;24(4):518–528. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1968.24.4.518. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Fitch K. D., Morton A. R., Blanksby B. A. Effects of swimming training on children with asthma. Arch Dis Child. 1976 Mar;51(3):190–194. doi: 10.1136/adc.51.3.190. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Flint M. M., Drinkwater B. L., Horvath S. M. Effects of training on women's response to submaximal exercise. Med Sci Sports. 1974 Summer;6(2):89–94. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. HIRT M. PHYSICAL CONDITIONING IN ASTHMA. I. PRELIMINARY RESULTS. Ann Allergy. 1964 May;22:229–237. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Henriksen J. M., Nielsen T. T. Effect of physical training on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1983 Jan;72(1):31–36. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1983.tb09659.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Holgate S. T. Changing attitudes to exercise induced asthma. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1983 Dec 3;287(6406):1650–1651. doi: 10.1136/bmj.287.6406.1650. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Itkin I. H., Nacman M. The effect of exercise on the hospitalized asthmatic patient. J Allergy. 1966 May;37(5):253–263. doi: 10.1016/s0021-8707(96)90009-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Jacobs I. Blood lactate. Implications for training and sports performance. Sports Med. 1986 Jan-Feb;3(1):10–25. doi: 10.2165/00007256-198603010-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Jakeman P., Davies B. The characteristics of a low resistance breathing valve designed for the measurement of high aerobic capacity. Br J Sports Med. 1979 Jun;13(2):81–83. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.13.2.81. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Maughan R. J. A simple, rapid method for the determination of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, alanine, 3-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate on a single 20-mul blood sample. Clin Chim Acta. 1982 Jul 1;122(2):231–240. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(82)90282-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Morton A. R., Hahn A. G., Fitch K. D. Continuous and intermittent running in the provocation of asthma. Ann Allergy. 1982 Feb;48(2):123–129. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Nickerson B. G., Bautista D. B., Namey M. A., Richards W., Keens T. G. Distance running improves fitness in asthmatic children without pulmonary complications or changes in exercise-induced bronchospasm. Pediatrics. 1983 Feb;71(2):147–152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Olsen C. An enzymatic fluorimetric micromethod for the determination of acetoacetate, -hydroxybutyrate, pyruvate and lactate. Clin Chim Acta. 1971 Jul;33(2):293–300. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(71)90486-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Schnall R., Ford P., Gillam I., Landau L. Swimming and dry land exercises in children with asthma. Aust Paediatr J. 1982 Mar;18(1):23–27. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1982.tb01973.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Shapiro G. G., Pierson W. E., Furukawa C. T., Bierman C. W. A comparison of the effectiveness of free-running and treadmill exercise for assessing exercise-induced bronchospasm in clinical practice. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1979 Dec;64(6 Pt 2):609–611. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(79)90023-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Skinner J. S., McLellan T. M., McLellan T. H. The transition from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1980 Mar;51(1):234–248. doi: 10.1080/02701367.1980.10609285. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Smith D. P., Stransky F. W. The effect of training and detraining on the body composition and cardiovascular response of young women to exercise. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1976 Jun;16(2):112–120. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wilson B. A., Evans J. N. Standardization of work intensity for evaluation of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1981;47(3):289–294. doi: 10.1007/BF00422474. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Sports Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES