The Effect of Exercise on Asthma in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Global lnitiative for Asthma. Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. 2019. Available from: https://www.ginasthma.org.

The Global Asthma Report. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2022;25(26):1–104. https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtld.22.1010.

Article  Google Scholar 

TMF M, DA F, GSS C, EA, H. and, KMPP M. Breathing exercises for children with asthma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;12(4):CD011017. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011017.pub2.

Article  Google Scholar 

Global lnitiative for Asthma. Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. 2024. Updated May 2024.Available from: www.ginasthma.org

Bunlam K, Rojnawee S, Pojsupap S, Suksawat Y, Tongtako W. Enhancing respiratory muscle strength and asthma control in children with asthma: the impact of Balloon-Breathing exercise. Phys Activity Health. 2024;8(1):10–9. https://doi.org/10.5334/paah.321.

Article  Google Scholar 

Kandola A, Ashdown-Franks G, Hendrikse J, Sabiston CM, Stubbs B. Physical activity and depression: towards Understanding the antidepressant mechanisms of physical activity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019;107:525–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.040.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Caspersen CJ, Powell KE, Christenson GM. Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Rep. 1985;100(2):126–31. https://doi.org/10.2307/20056429.

Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Pedersen BK, Saltin B. Exercise as medicine - evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25(Suppl 3):1–72. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12581.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Ruegsegger GN, Booth FW. Health benefits of exercise. Cold Spring Harbor Perspect Med. 2018;8(7):a029694. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a029694.

Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Nieman DC. Special feature for the olympics: effects of exercise on the immune system: exercise effects on systemic immunity. Immunol Cell Biol. 2000;78(5):496–501. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1711.2000.t01-5-.x.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Price OJ, Del Giacco S, Gawlik R, Janson C, Odemyr M, Papadopoulos NG, et al. Exercise and physical activity for asthma management: the European academy of allergy and clinical immunology perspective. Allergy. 2023;78(11):2823–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15789.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Hansen ESH, Pitzner-Fabricius A, Toennesen LL, Rasmusen HK, Hostrup M, Hellsten Y, et al. Effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Respir J. 2020;56(1). https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.00146-2020.

Hul AJvt, Frouws S, Akker Evd, Lummel Rv, Starrenburg-Razenberg A, Bruggen Av, et al. Decreased physical activity in adults with bronchial asthma. Respir Med. 2016;114:72–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2016.03.016.

Article  Google Scholar 

Higgins J, et al. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions version 6.5. Cochrane; 2024.

Smart NA, Waldron M, Ismail H, Giallauria F, Vigorito C, Cornelissen V, et al. Validation of a new tool for the assessment of study quality and reporting in exercise training studies: TESTEX. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2015;13(1):9–18. https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000020.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Han C, Xue H, Yang S, Gao B. Resistance exercise training and its impact on metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025;222:112077. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112077.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Feng M, Gu L, Zeng Y, Gao W, Cai C, Chen Y, et al. The efficacy of resistance exercise training on metabolic health, body composition, and muscle strength in older adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2025;222:112079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2025.112079.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for Behavioural Sciences. 2nd Edn. Hillsdale, NJ, Lawrence Earlbaum Associates; 1988.

DerSimonian R, Laird N. Meta-analysis in clinical trials. Control Clin Trials. 1986;7(3):177–88.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Weisgerber MC, Guill M, Weisgerber JM, Butler H. Benefits of swimming in asthma: effect of a session of swimming lessons on symptoms and PFTs with review of the literature. J Asthma. 2003;40(5):453–64. https://doi.org/10.1081/jas-120018706.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Winn CON, Mackintosh KA, Eddolls WTB, Stratton G, Wilson AM, McNarry MA, et al. Effect of high-intensity interval training in adolescents with asthma: the eXercise for asthma with commando Joe’s(R) (X4ACJ) trial. J Sport Health Sci. 2021;10(4):488–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2019.05.009.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Abdelbasset WK, Alsubaie SF, Tantawy SA, Abo Elyazed TI, Kamel DM. Evaluating pulmonary function, aerobic capacity, and pediatric quality of life following a 10-week aerobic exercise training in school-aged asthmatics: a randomized controlled trial. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2018;12:1015–23. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S159622.

Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Andrade LB, Britto MC, Lucena-Silva N, Gomes RG, Figueroa JN. The efficacy of aerobic training in improving the inflammatory component of asthmatic children. Randomized Trial Respiratory Med. 2014;108(10):1438–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2014.07.009.

Article  Google Scholar 

Wicher IB, Ribeiro MA, Marmo DB, Santos CI, Toro AA, Mendes RT, et al. Effects of swimming on spirometric parameters and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children and adolescents with moderate persistent atopic asthma. Jornal De Pediatria. 2010;86(5):384–90. https://doi.org/10.2223/JPED.2022.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Basaran S, Guler-Uysal F, Ergen N, Seydaoglu G, Bingol-Karakoç G, Altintas DU. Effects of physical exercise on quality of life, exercise capacity and pulmonary function in children with asthma. J Rehabil Med. 2006;38(2):130–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/16501970500476142.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Carew C, Cox DW. Laps or lengths? The effects of different exercise programs on asthma control in children. J Asthma. 2018;55(8):877–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/02770903.2017.1373806.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Latorre-Román P, Navarro-Martínez AV, García-Pinillos F. The effectiveness of an indoor intermittent training program for improving lung function, physical capacity, body composition and quality of life in children with asthma. J Asthma. 2014;51(5):544–51. https://doi.org/10.3109/02770903.2014.888573.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Moreira A, Delgado L, Haahtela T, Fonseca J, Moreira P, Lopes C, et al. Physical training does not increase allergic inflammation in asthmatic children. Eur Respir J. 2008;32(6):1570–5. https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00171707.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Vagedes J, Helmert E, Kuderer S, Vagedes K, Wildhaber J, Andrasik F. The Buteyko breathing technique in children with asthma: a randomized controlled pilot study. Complement Ther Med. 2021;56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102582.

Counil F, Varray A, Matecki S, Beurey A, Marchal P, Voisin M, et al. Training of aerobic and anaerobic fitness in children with asthma. J Pediatr. 2003;142(2):179–84. https://doi.org/10.1067/mpd.2003.83.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Gokcek O, Yurdalan U, Tugay BU, El C, Dogan S. Evaluation of the possible effect of inspiratory muscle training on inflammation markers and oxidative stress in childhood asthma. Eur J Pediatrics. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-023-05047-4.

Article  Google Scholar 

Wang JS, Hung WP. The effects of a swimming intervention for children with asthma. Respirology. 2009;14(6):838–42. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01567.x.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Roncada C, Mattiello R, Pitrez PM, Sarria EE. Specific instruments to assess quality of life in children and adolescents with asthma. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2013;89(3):217–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2012.11.010.

Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

McGee SL, Hargreaves M. Exercise adaptations: molecular mechanisms and potential targets for therapeutic benefit. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2020;16(9):495–505. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41574-020-0377-1.

Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Malina RM, Bouchard C. Exercise training and adaptation in children: A review of endurance, strength, and flexibility. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2019;31(3):256–71.

Google Scholar 

Neumannova K, Kovacikova Z, Zatloukal J, Elfmark M, Janura M. Respiratory muscle strength in children with mild bronchial asthma disease. Acta Gymnica. 2017;47(4):180–6. https://doi.org/10.5507/ag.2017.023.

Article  Google Scholar 

Comments (0)

No login
gif