Based on data from the last five Olympic games, research from the University of Western Australia has identified asthma and hyperresponsiveness of the airways as the chronic conditions most suffered by Olympians and could be related to training intensive . The results, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine , reveal a prevalence of around 8%.
"Inspiring polluted or cold air is considered an important factor that would explain the cause in some sports, but not in all," Kenneth D. Fitch, researcher at the University of Western Australia and author of this, explains in statements to the SINC agency. study.
The scientist identified athletes with documented asthma and AHR from those who during the last five Olympic games – from 2002 to 2010 – used inhaled beta-2 agonists (IBAs), a drug frequently used by athletes. elite as asthma therapy.
According to the study, if there are many more asthmatic winter athletes compared to summer athletes, it is mainly because in summer competitions there are fewer individual medals in endurance sports. For its part, in winter games, breathing in cold air contributes to airway injury. Something similar also happens inside skating rinks, as airborne particles from ice resurfacing machines can cause injuries .
