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Should we really avoid doing sports during peaks in fine particle pollution?

Doing sport during a pollution peak represents a real risk to health, particularly if the physical activity is intense and causes an increase in heart rate and breathing rate.

Tristan Bergen 22/01/2025 10:00 6 min

Is it necessary to stop any outdoor sporting activity during peaks in fine particle pollution? The answer is not so simple and so radical according to the experts, who are also not not all agree on the subject.

A real health risk

It is not uncommon, during long winter anticyclonic periods, for levels of fine particle pollution to reach very high levels in many regions. This is also what experienced last week with high pressures trapping fine particles from the use of wood heating, traffic but also industry, in the lower layers of the atmosphere and the absence of wind does not allow them to dissipate.

During these pollution peaks, it is often advisable to reduce/postpone outdoor physical activitiesparticularly the most intense, pollution inducing a health risk. Indeed, by doing sports outdoors during these peaks of fine particle pollution, these microparticles enter our body via our respiratory tract, with potentially harmful consequences.

At rest, we ventilate an average of 5 liters of air per minute. However, during exercise, the respiratory rate increases drastically to reach, during intense exercise, 150 to 200 liters of air per minute! Thus, during peaks of pollution, an athlete can inhale 30 to 40 times more fine particles than in normal times, which is why it is advisable to limit physical activity during these episodes of pollution.

Indeed, the repercussions on health of these fine particles can be notable, with for example inflammation of the ENT mucous membranes (nose, pharynx), trachea and/or bronchi, which can lead to breathing difficultiesbronchitis or even asthma attacks for those who suffer from it. Also, the risk of stroke appears more important.

So this is why doing sport during pollution peaks is not recommended, especially for the most sensitive people. According to experts, the situation is moreover comparable to passive smoking : running during a pollution peak is like smoking a few cigarettes.

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It is still important to practice physical activity

During particular weather situations, pollution peaks can last for several days or even weeks. However, not practicing sport for a period of time can be even more harmful to your health. Indeed, for some experts, the benefits obtained for physical health are nevertheless greater than the harmful effects induced by pollution.

Nevertheless, precautions must be taken in this type of situation. It is important to reduce intensity physical efforts and especially get as far away as possible from sources of pollution (leave urban areas, favor parks, forests, etc.).

The idea is to continue regular physical activity, but without exerting too much effort to limit the absorption of too large quantities of fine particles by the body.

For this reason, gentle, non-intense sports are preferred during episodes of air pollution. Walking, muscle strengthening, yoga or cycling for example, sports that will allow you to maintain a sporting activity without increasing your heart rate too much and speeding up your breathing.

Finally, contrary to popular belief, too intense indoor sports should also be avoided during pollution peaks. Indeed, fine particles are present even indoors in this type of situation, the conclusion is therefore similar to outdoor sports, it is better to avoid too intense physical activity which could ultimately harm your health.

Article reference:

ZFE, fine particles… Should we absolutely stop doing sport during a pollution peak?, Ouest-France (January 19, 2025), Ludivine Domeon

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