What should you know about running with asthma?

Fast breathing during exercise can dry and cool the airways, causing narrowing in some people with asthma. Wheezing, cough or chest tightness may start during a run or soon afterward. Cold air, pollution, pollen and house dust mite allergy can add to airway irritation; allergic rhinitis may also make nasal breathing harder.

Symptoms vary between people and from day to day. A history of chronic cough, night symptoms or frequent need for a reliever deserves review before increasing training intensity.

Warm up gradually, carry your prescribed reliever if your clinician has advised it, and keep to your written asthma action plan. Check air quality and pollen conditions when these are known triggers, and choose a route that limits irritants. Slow down or stop if symptoms begin. Cool down rather than ending abruptly, and record what happened so your clinician can adjust the plan if episodes recur.

Stop exercising and use your prescribed reliever according to your action plan if wheezing, cough or chest tightness develops. Seek urgent help if symptoms are severe, speech is difficult, lips look blue or grey, breathing remains hard, or the reliever is not helping as expected. Repeated exercise symptoms need a review of asthma control, triggers and inhaler technique.

Ask whether you need pre-exercise medicine, how to recognise your personal warning signs, whether your inhaler technique is effective, and what to do if symptoms persist after stopping.