| Research and curiosities |
| Research |
|
Lakhera and others: The purpose of the
research was to measure the lung functions of healthy children aged 13 to
16, and to discover the differences between those who regularly participate
in sports and those who do not. Those who are active in sports have a bigger
lung capacity on average. It was also noted that being active in sports
in adolescence affects the lung capacity in adulthood. The authors believe
that the development of lungs in adolescence depends on a healthy diet and
other medical circumstances, but it is also influenced by physical activity.
Athletes have higher FEV I, indicating a higher expiratory power, and more
open airways; they also have a higher MVV, caused by the better endurance
of respiratory muscles.
Source: Lakhera, S. C., Kain, T. C., Bandopadhyay,
K. P. (1994). Changes in lung function during adolescence in athletes and
non-athletes. JSM, 34 (3), 258–262
McKenzie and others:
The research was aimed at finding the influence of warming up on bronchoconstriction
with athletes who have asthma caused by exertion. They carried out a test
for asthma caused by exertion, before the tested athletes warmed up in two
ways, continuously for 15 minutes or in intervals. The most effective method
proved to be a 15 minute continuous warm up, carried out at 60 percent VO2max
effectiveness, after which a limited bronchoconstriction occurred.
Source: McKenzie, D. C., McLuckie, S. L., Stirling, D. R. (1994). The
protective effects of continuous and interval exercise in athletes with
exercise-induced asthma. MSS, 26 (8), 951–956
Todaro
A.: The research monitored the lung functions of top athletes with asthma.
It was discovered that asthma does not ‘a priori’ mean a limitation for
top athletes, since activity does not cause bronchoconstriction, but just
the opposite, bronchodilation, which allows a high level of ventilation
and metabolic response. It is also noted that top athletes do not have problems
because, after bronchodilation and lung exertion, they gradually return
to the state of normal obstruction, to which the athlete is accustomed,
earning the asthma the appraisal of being ‘silent’.
Source: Todaro,
A. (1996). Exercise induced bronchodilatation in asthmatic athletes. JSM,
36 (1)
Yorio J. M. and others: The research which
studied 25 girls with moderate asthma shows that low intensity exercise
(50 percent of VO2max) causes a less prominent feeling of shortness of breath.
In addition, the feeling of shortness of breath is affected by the anxiousness
of the participants. Tendency towards anxiousness and emotional stress is
an additional factor influencing the feeling of shortness of breath and
the level of bronchoconstriction.
Source: Yorio, J., Dishman,
R. K., Forbus, W. R. (1992). Breathlessness predicts perceived exertion
in young women with asthma. MSS, 24 (8), 860–867 |
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| Curiosities |
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The origin of the word asthma
The word asthma was already used by the famous writer from antiquity, Homer,
in his epic poems the Odyssey and the Iliad. He described warriors rushing
into battle as breathing ‘asthmos’ – heavily, because of war zeal, exertion,
or even fear. But the word then only signified the symptoms and not the
disorder.
Asthma and winners
Medals won by asthma patients in the USA team at the 1984 Olympics in Los
Angeles (Bingham, 1990)
All team
USA athletes: 597 Medals won: 174
Athletes with asthma: 67 Medals won by athletes with asthma: 41 |
| Discipline |
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
| Basketball |
4 |
|
|
| Cycling |
3 |
3 |
2 |
| Horse riding |
|
1 |
|
| Grass hockey |
|
|
2 |
| Modern pentathlon |
|
2 |
|
| Rowing |
1 |
4 |
|
| Shooting |
|
1 |
|
| Swimmming |
5 |
|
|
| Track and field |
1 |
1 |
|
| Volleyball |
|
3 |
|
| Water polo |
|
4 |
|
| Weightlifiting |
|
|
1 |
| Wrestling |
1 |
|
|
| Sailing |
|
1 |
|
| Total |
15 |
21 |
5 |
The number of medals won by asthmatic patients on team USA at the 1998 Olympics
in Seoul (Bingham, 1990)
All team
USA athletes: 611 Medals won: 94
Athletes with asthma: 53 medals won by athletes with asthma: 16 |
| Discipline |
Gold |
Silver |
Bronze |
| Basketball |
2 |
1 |
|
| Rowing |
|
2 |
1 |
| Swimming |
|
2 |
|
| Track and field |
2 |
|
|
| Water polo |
|
4 |
|
| Wrestling |
|
1 |
|
| Sailing |
1 |
|
|
| Total |
5 |
10 |
1 |
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