Misty Hyman couldn't even make it the length of the pool when she started swimming at age 5. But her doctor thought the sport would be good for the little girl's asthma, so she kept at it. Last year, it took her all the way to one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history. Not bad for a kid who grew up on inhalers and a breathing machine. Misty started swim lessons at a summer program at Roadrunner Park near her north Phoenix home and then swam year-round competitively at the Arizona Sports Ranch.
Swimming is a common prescription for asthma.
Almost 21 percent of swimmers who compete internationally have asthma, according to the Canadian Lung Association, compared to 6 percent to 10 percent of the general population. Swimming is well suited for people with asthma because moist, warm air forms over the water in heated pools, preventing swimmers' airways from drying out and getting irritated. She uses four inhalers every day, including Preventil and Serevent, which reduce airway inflammation and relax bronchial muscles. There have been times that she's pretended she doesn't have asthma, that she's grown out of it. But she's learned not to ignore the illness that's plagued her since she was a guppy.