[Experiences and effects with 6 years of judo training in ambulatory rehabilitation of bronchial asthma in childhood]. / Erfahrungen und Effekte mit einem sechsjährigen Judo-Training in der ambulanten Rehabilitation des Asthma bronchiale im Kindesalter.

In view of backing up the potential for as normal a life as possible in the presence of chronic obstructive respiratory disease, quality rehabilitation concepts have for some ten years been discussed which recommend satisfactory levels of motor activity in particular during childhood and youth as a factor in stabilizing long-term health. A difficult prerequisite in this respect is choosing a sport adapted to the child's age and condition as well as providing adequate motivation, along with awareness of exercise- and training-induced stress and strain reactions. Several years of experience with Judo have shown that, in an ambulatory rehabilitation setting, the needs of schoolchildren with bronchial asthma too, may be answered by this competitive sport provided that several didactic and methodological premises are heeded. In light of its holistic educational approach and intermittent stress and strain profile, Judo is cut out for facilitating integration in the social community, hence contributing toward valuable personality characteristics and growth in a rehabilitative context in the face of the long-term course of the illness.

[Judo in a training group for children with asthma]. / Judosport in einer Trainingsgruppe mit asthmakranken Kindern.

15 asthmatics of 7-14 years of age were trained in a special judo training group together with healthy children. The step-like training programme was composed in such a manner that an exercise-induced bronchospasm was kept as low as possible whereas the coordination, flexibility, physical and psychical resistance were improved. By means of adapted lung function tests the children were controlled, the aim was not so much to prove an improvement of functional values but rather to avoid injuries. Reactions confirmed by means of the sensitive flow-volume curve method did not present any clinical problems. Exercise-induced reactions occurred most frequently, if at all, after a warming-up phase and in the middle of the 14 training weeks. Both at the end of every lesson and at the end of the whole training course the number and internity of reactions decreased. Children suffering from exercise-induced asthma could be trained by means of judo sport without any problems. A combatant sport, such as judo, is particularly qualified for the improvement of motivation, coordination, dexterity and integration into the community of healthy children to increase self-confidence. Asthma sport groups are a medical and paedagogical necessity.