Impact of physical activity on respiratory disease: Current status and therapeutic implications

Abstract

Regular physical activity (PA) modulates key pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the onset, progression, and symptoms of major respiratory diseases. Notably, low daily PA and high sedentary time independently predict faster lung function decline, poorer quality of life, and premature mortality in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease (ILDs), and post-coronavirus disease lung sequelae. Conversely, structured exercise training—and the increasingly popular, lifestyle-integrated “move-more–sit-less” programs—improve dyspnea, exercise capacity, airway and systemic inflammation, and healthcare utilization. Large cohort analyses corroborate a clear dose-response relationship: attaining ≥7500 steps/day or ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous activity yields the greatest clinical benefit, even in individuals with impaired pulmonary function. Mechanistic studies also revealed that exercise dampens type-2 airway inflammation in asthma, enhances the skeletal muscle oxidative phenotype in COPD, and counteracts ILD-related deconditioning. Recent randomized trials have shown that pulmonary rehabilitation can improve 5-year survival in fibrotic ILD, while telerehabilitation and gamified smartphone coaching can close access gaps without compromising efficacy. Additionally, major international guidelines such as the Global Initiative for Asthma 2024 and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2025 now explicitly recognize PA as a “treatable trait.” Nevertheless, PA uptake in routine care remains limited by behavioral, environmental, and policy barriers. Future work must refine personalized PA prescriptions, integrate wearable-derived metrics into decision-support algorithms, and test the synergistic effects with emerging biologics and anti-fibrotic agents. This review synthesizes contemporary evidence, highlights unanswered questions, and offers pragmatic recommendations for clinicians aiming to embed PA promotion in comprehensive respiratory care pathways.