Asthma and Aikido
by Peter Walsh
After seeing me sitting in the corner of the mat during practice, Fran asked me to write an article on what it was like to have asthma and practice Aikido. Having been asthmatic for most of my life, I would like to share with you what it is like to have this illness and still be physically active.
Asthma is a constriction of the main airways into the lungs created by inflammation or tightening of the smooth muscles surrounding the windpipe and major branchings into the lungs. This constriction shrinks the passageway and restricts the amount of air that can get into and out of the lungs. It is hard to describe what this feels like. There can be a physical sensation of tightening in the chest (once, after a severe attack, my sternum hurt for three days), but the biggest sensation is of not being able to get enough air. The wheezing noise everyone thinks about when talking about asthma is not always evident. It is possible to be having an attack with no noticeable wheezing.
Asthma may be triggered by allergies, smog, exercise, cold air, or infection and may be influenced by stress. I want to focus on a particular kind of asthma that affects my practice: Exercise Induced Asthma (EIA). EIA is triggered by the sudden physical activity of the body. This sudden activity somehow triggers the contraction of the smooth muscles around the windpipe and into the lungs. Vigorous exercise from a resting state is the fastest way to get this kind of asthma attack.
Prevention of asthma during practice requires a long warm-up period and paying attention to when the attack is likely to come. Vigorous ukemi is the usual trigger during practice. By paying attention to my breathing, I can recognize when an attack is imminent and to take a short break at the side of the mat to prevent a full attack. This brief rest allows the smooth muscles to relax so that I can resume practice. Controlling a full attack usually requires the use of inhaled medication. The problem with medication is that with regular use it can lose its effectiveness or even lead to an increased risk of heart attack. I would obviously prefer not to use the inhaler!
I have been practicing Aikido for five years now (with a three year break in the middle) and in my experience, asthma is only a problem during the first couple of months back on the mat. Eventually, my body adapts to practice, and the problems diminish. Also, a long warm-up reduces the chances of an attack. Unfortunately, as pollutants and very cold air are triggers for asthma, Toronto smog and Ontario winters have aggravated my condition since I moved to Toronto.
Asthma is not reason enough to stop practice. It does, however, require that I respect my body on the mat and not push it too hard too soon. I can still enjoy vigorous practice, but occasionally, on a smoggy day or a very cold one, I will have to take a brief break on the side of the mat and just watch for a while.
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