Shortness of Breath
Question:
When I first started running I found I could not breath and had to stop after 5 minutes. I could only describe it as feeling as though my lungs were not big enough to take in enough air. A personal trainer taught me a technique which has helped a lot – splitting the in and out breath into 2 – but even after a year of running I still struggle with breathing and cannot understand why other people do not seem to have this problem. It does not seem to make any difference whether I run 10 miles or 2, I am out of breath almost immediately. I have tried slowing down considerably but it does not help much. The only way I can get my breath back is to stop running or run downhill for a long distance. Denise
Answer: Dear Denise,
It may well be that you need to vary your training to improve your lung function e.g. try interval session of short duration sprints or some other form of cardiovascular exercise such as cross-training or skipping. You may also benefit from a lung function test – speak to your GP Kind regards
Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP Chartered Physiotherapist
Add Comment