Yes, people with asthma can often still exercise outdoors when air quality is poor, but with more care than others, since dirty air can worsen asthma and trigger attacks. Ease off once the air quality (AQI) goes over 100, avoid hard outdoor efforts and move indoors above 150, and always keep your quick-relief inhaler handy.
Having asthma doesn't mean giving up outdoor exercise when the air is poor. Most people with asthma can stay active in poor air by easing off, timing it for cleaner hours, and following their asthma action plan with quick-relief medicine on hand.123 You'll just need more care than someone without asthma, because people with asthma are at greater risk from air pollution2.
Dirty air can make asthma symptoms worse and trigger attacks.14 Exercise compounds that: you breathe harder and deeper, pulling more of the pollution into your lungs.45 So the harder the workout and the worse the air, the more you ask of airways that are already reacting.
The AQI tells you when to dial it back. Once it reaches the orange band, 101 to 150, ease off long or hard efforts.36 Above that, the Unhealthy range, avoid long or intense outdoor activities and think about moving them indoors.12 Through all of it, keep your quick-relief inhaler with you and follow your asthma action plan.2
Adjusting beats stopping. You can lower your exposure and still exercise. Change how hard you go, how long, and when.13 Try an easy morning session in place of a hard midday one. And treat symptoms as a hard stop: coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath4 mean pause, use your reliever, and get inside. And as always, talk with your health care practitioner to make sure you're set up for success with the right medications and a good action plan.
Sources
- [1] Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollution. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.airnow.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/air-quality-guide-for-particle-pollution_0.pdf
- [2] Air Quality Guide for Ozone. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://document.airnow.gov/air-quality-guide-for-ozone.pdf
- [3] Patient Exposure and the Air Quality Index. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/pmcourse/patient-exposure-and-air-quality-index
- [4] Health Effects of Ozone in the General Population. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/ozone-pollution-and-your-patients-health/health-effects-ozone-general-population
- [5] Air Quality and Outdoor Activity Guidance for Schools. Accessed August 7, 2026. https://document.airnow.gov/air-quality-and-outdoor-guidance-for-schools.pdf
- [6] U.S. EPA (AirNow). Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics. Accessed August 6, 2026. https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
About the author
Dr. Colin Little
MD, FAWM, Chief Medical Officer, GOES Health
- Board Certified Emergency Physician
- Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine (FAWM)
- Wilderness Medicine Fellowship, University of Utah
- Emergency Medicine Residency and Chief Resident, Stanford / Kaiser
- Doctor of Medicine, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix