Question from TOUR reader Joseph Sch.: Six years ago, I was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis (COPD, severity 2-3). Since then, I have been taking medication but have continued to cycle. Can I still push myself to my limits or can I only train at a basic level? My doctor advises me to go for a walk, but that is not a solution for me. I would be very grateful for any advice.
Answer from Dr Robert Eifler: A distinction is made between two forms of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): chronic obstructive asthmoid bronchitis (COB) and obstructive pulmonary emphysema (COE). Obstructive bronchitis is characterised by spasmodically constricted bronchi. It can be treated with active substances that also dilate the bronchi in asthma sprays (beta-2 sympathomimetics), depending on the severity in combination with inhaled corticosteroids. In emphysema, the alveoli in the lungs have fused together, causing the lungs to become less well supplied with blood and over-inflated. As a result, they can no longer absorb oxygen properly and shortness of breath increases under stress. You obviously have COB, which means that you could also cycle in the GA2 range if there is no emphysema component. However, you should definitely avoid pushing yourself to the limit. I recommend that you visit a sports medicine institute run by an internist so that they can better assess your overall health situation.
