Spring allergy and outdoor exercise, are they compatible?

Seasonal allergy is very frequent in these months of the year when the pollination of the flowers is present, and can cause symptoms that are accentuated when we exercise outdoors and expose ourselves to the allergen. However, are spring allergy and exercise compatible in nature?

Spring allergy and exercise

Allergy symptoms are triggered suddenly when we are exposed to allergens that are in the air, and these include nasal congestion and conjunctiva of the eyes, tearing, difficulty breathing, fatigue and even itching that can hinder physical performance.

Also, the greater ventilation that is required during the exercise makes it more frequent that the symptoms of the spring allergy appear in the athletes or people who strive physically in the open air, hence avoiding the so annoying allergy while training outdoors is so complicated.

However, outdoor exercise is not impossible if you suffer from spring allergy but it is important to apply some tricks:

• Train in areas with less grass, which are the ones with the greatest amount of allergens. Although we can choose the activity in the middle of nature, it is advisable to do it in spaces that are not full of flowers and vegetation.
• Avoid the windy days that is when more pollen and allergens are in the air and therefore, the possibility that we experience symptoms are doubled.
• Use glasses and masks if we want to avoid congestion of conjunctiva and nose, as well as constant sneezing.
• Reduce the intensity of training that reduces the breathing rate and thus, the chances that allergens enter the body and inflame the bronchi that bother so much to exercise.
• Avoid the hours of greatest concentration of pollen in the environment that tend to be in the morning and at dusk. We can also know this information by consulting environmental data of the area in which we train.
• Train after the rain or in areas where the soil has been moistened, as this reduces the allergens and reduces their concentration in the air, decreasing the likelihood of causing symptoms.
• Breathing through the nose, which is not always an easy task but a study on allergy and sports recommends it to prevent allergens from reaching the bronchi and causing more intense symptoms that can hinder physical performance.

These tricks can make spring allergy less annoying when we train outdoors but in addition, it is always important to identify the allergen and receive the appropriate treatment from a medical professional.

In addition, to prevent broncho spasm, it is recommended to perform stress tests in winter with exposure to cold and in spring when pollen is present, as they are the seasons that predispose to suffer it.

You know, spring allergy and outdoor exercise are compatible, but it is important to practice different tricks and tips that will allow us to train with less discomfort and perform at maximum this season.