Date of Award
Fall 10-6-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Kinesiology (EdD)
Department
Kinesiology
First Advisor
Patrica Myrvik
Second Advisor
Eder Garavito
Third Advisor
Stephanie Hamilton
Abstract
Asthma, a prevalent chronic disease among adolescents, poses challenges for healthcare providers and exercise professionals seeking evidence-based methods to improve health outcomes. Despite the established importance of structured exercise for managing asthma, limited research has examined its effects on adolescents with asthma in community-based settings. This exploratory study evaluated changes in lung function, asthma control, exercise capacity, and quality of life among adolescents with physician-diagnosed asthma following participation in a 5-week, supervised, community-based structured exercise program delivered in two formats: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training (MICT). Five participants, adolescents aged 12-17 with physician-diagnosed asthma, were included in the study and completed the 5-week, supervised, community-based program. Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) was the primary measure of lung function, while Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV₁) was measured before and after the intervention to assess changes in airflow obstruction. The ACQ-6, 6MWT, and PAQLQ were used to evaluate asthma control, exercise capacity, and quality of life, respectively.
Descriptive analyses revealed pulmonary function, asthma management, exercise capacity, and quality of life after the intervention. Given the small sample size (n=5), findings are interpreted descriptively and cautiously; the study was not designed to determine whether one exercise produced superior outcomes to the other. The results indicate that structured exercise may be a practical, evidence-based addition to improving health for adolescents with asthma in community settings. The findings bolster existing literature on exercise interventions and offer actionable direction for healthcare providers, fitness professionals, and future research.