Sports Performance Disorders

Comprehensive care for exercise induced asthma, allergies and more!

Pulmonary Specialists in Glenview, IL

Young athletes frequently experience respiratory distress while participating in strenuous sports. Among the disorders that can develop or be exacerbated by heavy exercise are:

• Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) or exercise-induced asthma. This is a narrowing of the airways that makes it hard to move air out of the lungs. Asthma and EIB are most prevalent in swimmers but can be triggered by any demanding physical activity.
• Inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) or vocal cord dysfunction (VCD). This describes the condition in which an adolescent athlete has no symptoms while at rest, but he or she experiences inspiratory shortness of breath with high-intensity exercise. The glottis (the opening between the vocal folds) partially or completely closes. Symptoms usually resolve within a few minutes of resting. However, a history of mild asthma is often seen. Diagnosis is made with appropriate history, physical examination, and baseline lung function studies, with confirmatory exercise provocation and laryngoscopy to rule out other secondary causes.

• Impaired exercise ability.

• Exercise fatigue.

Both asthma and allergies are common among elite athletes. But if these issues are hampering your child’s ability on the playing field, it may be time to have your child tested for a sports performance disorder at our Sports Physiology Center, where we can recommend effective treatment.

For more information, call our team at Chicago Pulmonary Specialists at (847) 998-3434 or request an appointment using our convenient online form.