Elevation and exercise induced asthma

[Rebecca Smith-Terry]

Hello all,

I am an avid cyclist, both road and mountain. While I am not an expert, I am not new to the sport. I did have to stop mountain biking, not road biking, to recover from back surgery a couple of years ago. Several years back I was diagnosed with exercise induced asthma (EIA) and was prescribed an inhaler to use before I ride. At that time I was living on the east coast of North Carolina, now I live in the mountains of Virginia. The place I go riding is at an elevation of 2320 feet, it doesn't seem like that this altitude would have an affect on my breathing but I have noticed that I do have a harder time than I did while living on the coast.

Could the elevation I'm at now really be affecting the asthma? Anyone have any experience with EIA?

 

[Corzhens]

From what I understand with the elevation of the place, the higher you go, the lesser the oxygen so it is normal for the breathing to be harder or labored. In the movie Everest, they were ready with oxygen canisters in case they need more oxygen to inhale since the atmosphere is very thin. That's what I think about the difficulty in your breathing because you are in a higher altitude.

 

[treecko142]

Yeah, it's much harder to breathe at higher elevations because of the decrease in atmospheric pressure, especially for people who aren't used to living in that altitude.

 

[reighn]

The elevation of your place will affect your breathing even with or without asthma. The thin air or oxygen in a higher ground or much more elevated area will give you the breathing problem specially you have asthma, but I think it's just for a few days, after your lungs and body become immune to the place it will be gone.

 

[Kakashi]

Elevation does affect endurance when it comes to cycling, the thinner the air as the elevation gets higher the ride gets harder and this could induce your asthma. I think you need to acclimate your self first and after a month of getting used to your present elevation you'd be okay.

 

[ballyhara]

Elevation does affect endurance when it comes to cycling, the thinner the air as the elevation gets higher the ride gets harder and this could induce your asthma. I think you need to acclimate your self first and after a month of getting used to your present elevation you'd be okay.

That's the best word to solve the problem: acclimate. Remember you were leaving near the coast, now you're living in the mountains, so atmospheric pressure is different, oxygen levels are different, and you have to get use to those before going out cycling. Maybe you should start with short riding periods, and you can increase your time weekly, that way you can get use to easily.

 

[GearGuru99]

Hey there! Great point about acclimating to the new environment. It's definitely important to consider the change in atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels when cycling in different locations. Starting with shorter riding periods and gradually increasing your time sounds like a smart approach. This way, you can adapt to the new conditions more comfortably. It's all about finding that balance, right? Keep pushing those pedals!