This BASES Expert Statement looks into exercise respiratory symptoms, such as wheezing, tight chest, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and coughing which are commonly reported by athletes.
These non-specific symptoms need to be assessed in order to confirm or eliminate the presence of cardio-pulmonary causes.
There is a high prevalence - 70% - of asthma and exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in sports with high breathing requirements, and it has been assumed that exercise-induced respiratory symptoms in these athletes is due to asthma or exercise-induced-asthma (EIA).
Symptoms however are misleading and this Expert Statement looks at these differential causes of exercise respiratory symptoms: Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO) and Dysfunctional Breathing.
Interventions are then discussed which include breathing pattern retraining and inspiratory muscle training and finally conclusions are made.
You can read the full Expert Statement here, Assessment and Management of Non-asthma Related Breathing Problems in Athletes.
