Exercise Induced Asthma- University of Leeds Project

I am currently a third year student at the University of Leeds studying Product Design.

For my third year project I have chosen to look at exercise-induced asthma and how it

affects sufferers during physical activities and this will eventually lead onto designing and manufacturing a product that will resolve this problem. For my research I need peoples opinions on:

..how asthma affects the performance of sufferers?

..what medication sufferers take during physical activities?

..what could be done in the form of products to help sufferers when participating in physical activities?

..any alternate information you think would also be useful for my project would be much appreciated

Any information is good information!

Thanks

Emily

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hi emily,

not sure you're allowed to ask that here, but i'll give you my answers anyway, as the info is on the site in one form or another.

Personally I don't think you could design anything new to help, the Sports Haler exists to keep ventolin handy, and for myself the use of a buff during the cold weather has been a real help.

I tend to do running and cycling, and as a result the high intensity exercises require a great deal of air exchange, and the cold weather was my main trigger, the buff and singulair has now enabled me to return to near pre asthma condition. Don't think the swimming has been such a problem, even though I'm certain that my asthma was chlorine induced, but I do notice that I can't swim as fast and have to now breath every other stroke instead of every 3, but on really good days every 3 is still possible.

The cycling and running would leave me with a cough that to start with was nothing much, but as time went on and only a over about 3 months did it become really persistent in that I would retain that cough for anywhere between 24 and 48 hours after finishing, but never with the swimming.

I have learnt that ventolin before exercise, not sure if it really does work but I do it, and now this time of year the buff and wrap up warm, even the slightest of chills can have a significant impact not on my asthma directly, but overall health, and then the asthma will become symptomatic.

If you want anything specific just PM me.

Chris