The Respiratory System and Sport: From Bench to Bedside, in an Olympic and Paralympic Year – Webinar Series

The Respiratory System and Sport: From Bench to Bedside, in an Olympic and Paralympic Year – Webinar Series is organized by European Respiratory Society (ERS).

Dates:
04 March 2024 – 14 October 2024

Educational aims:
• Develop a detailed and broad understanding of how the pulmonary system responds to vigorous exercise and sport, in health and in disease.
• Understand how to assess the key causes of respiratory issues in athletic individuals and the main differential diagnoses.
• Become more confident in assessing individuals who present with symptoms and which tests to select to make a robust diagnosis.
• Develop expertise and confidence in discussing a broad range of topic areas, important to individuals participating in sport; including, how to consider whether to exercise in a potentially polluted environment, what to do about exercise and sporting participation if you have a chronic lung disease and what are the non-medicinal options to help breathing during sport.
• Improve knowledge in a broad range of therapeutic areas, including a consideration of how to apply asthma treatment guidelines to individuals partaking in sport.

Learning outcomes:
• Following this webinar, participants will be able to:
• Confidently assess and diagnose respiratory issues in athletic individuals.
• Select and interpret the best investigations to achieve a secure diagnosis of respiratory issues in athletic individuals.
• Advise patients wishing to discuss the place of sport in their lifestyle and to discuss risks and benefits clearly.
• Gain expertise in the use of inspiratory respiratory muscle training, in an athletic context.
• Understand how to best treat athletes with asthma-related issues.

Topics:
• Pulmonary physiology: Exercise physiology and whether the lung is underbuilt, overbuilt or just right for athletic endeavour. How do the airways function during vigorous exercise.
• Clinical assessment skills: What are the key causes of respiratory problems in athletic individuals. What are the key differential diagnoses and how can you use diagnostic tests in this situation.
• Environmental science / global health: How the environment interacts with pulmonary health – is pollution +/- climate change relevant and what can be done to protect pulmonary health of those participating in sport.
• Chronic disease management / symptom management: How to address and optimise opportunities from an increasing demand for people with chronic lung disease, to participate in sporting activity.
• Therapy based / physiotherapy treatment: What are the non-medicinal / therapy-based approaches that could be used to help people with breathing issues during sport.
• Asthma: How should clinicians approach the management of asthma in athletic individuals. Can standard asthma guidelines be applied and how does treatment of the athlete differ?